The Village Guardians Chapter 4 Twilight Below
by Dr. Mack Foxx
Summary: Gremlin and Crystal, a newlywed Sableye and Kirlia, are spending their honeymoon in an abandoned dance hall in the city of Alakaz: where Gremlin lived for several years and learned to dance. The young couple soon begin their first adventure together.
1. Section 1

+The Village Guardians Anthology+

-Chapter #4- Twilight Below-

Gremlin and Crystal, a Sableye and Kirlia who were recently married, have journeyed to the sprawling city of Alakaz to spend their honeymoon in the abandoned building known as the Alakaz Hall of Dance and Performance: where Gremlin lived for several years. While there, Crystal learns more about Gremlin's past, but the peaceful days come to an expected end as the young couple are soon on their first adventure together as mates.

Meanwhile, all seems quiet in the mountain village of Gardev. Still, Mack, a Guardian of Gardev, suspects that his wife, Aura, has something planned for him: some sort of surprise. Nonetheless, things are about to take a frightening turn in the small, alpine village as Team Shadow continues to gather strength...

Written by Dr. Mack Foxx and Aaraboga Jones

Ages 13+ Suggested for Violence and Romance

Original Story, Characters and all other Original Content are Copyright 1987-2010 Philip "Dr. Mack Foxx" Byard and Aaron "Aaraboga Jones" Byard

Pokémon and all related content and characters are Copyright 1995-2010 to Nintendo, Game Freak, Creatures and The Pokémon Company

[The Village Guardians Anthology]  
>[Chapter #4- Twilight Below]<p>

**-132-**

Without warning, Dr. Mack Foxx was jolted awake by a loud "Thump!" that seemed to echo throughout the sprawling bedroom. The Guardian quickly sat up in bed, wondering where the loud noise had come from. The male Gardevoir turned his gaze upon a nearby alarm clock on his nightstand: it was just barely 7:35 in the morning. Mack was really hoping he would not have to fend off an intruder at this hour. He was very tired, especially after the long day he and his wife, Aura, had gone through just yesterday. The previous twenty-four hours may have been filled with much joy and celebration, but going to 8 weddings and celebrating one's own third wedding anniversary in but a single day had taken its toll. Mack stretched out his arms and unfurled his majestic wings, covered with white feathers, as he let out a yawn, but quietly enough as to not disturb Aura. Mack couldn't help but look down at himself and then at his sleeping mate with a smile on his face. Per tradition, the two Guardians of Gardev had worn their splendorous wedding attire as a sign of celebration. Of course, wearing a soft, white dress that was covered with exquisite embroidery, accented with hundreds upon hundreds of small deep blue sapphires and diamonds would feel quite foreign to almost any male. The fancy garment had a very full skirt and no lack of soft petticoats underneath for lift and volume: this clothing had taken a considerable time for Mack to get used to. Still, this was the traditional attire for a married male Gardevoir, especially for a member of a Pokémon royal family. Aura lay next to her mate, still in a deep sleep. The thousands of small rubies and diamonds that accented the decorative designs sewn onto the female Gardevoir's dress were sparkling brightly, as was the diamond and platinum jewelry that adorned Aura's wrists, ears, hair and ankles. Aura's feet and ankles were just barely visible as they poked out from the bottom of her skirt and fluffy tulle petticoats. A long, delicate lace veil, attached to a stunning diamond and platinum tiara, covered the lovely Gardevoir's back as well as her own beautiful white wings. Aura was lying on her side, a bright smile on her face as the morning sunlight continued to march through the large glass door at the far right corner of the room and into the Guardians' bed chamber. A soft groan from somewhere in the room quickly snapped Mack out of staring happily at his sleeping wife and back into reality. For the Guardians of Gardev, it was always their duty to be vigilant as they protected the small, alpine village from natural disasters as well as lend a hand to the few remaining residents with keeping the isolated town clean and in good order. Since Mack and Aura had no set hours for their work, they had decided years ago to let the rising sun gently stir them awake every morning. This was easily accomplished by leaving the blinds on the 10'-wide sliding glass door open right before going to sleep. The Guardians quickly found that being awakened by the warm sunlight every morning was very pleasant compared to the obnoxious noise of an alarm clock. However, leaving the blinds on the large glass door wide open every night and well into the morning had some occasional drawbacks. Mack slowly made his way to the edge of his side of the bed, hoping he could avoid waking Aura as he really wanted her to get plenty of sleep. Much to Mack's disappointment, the soft rustling of his lavish dress and his movements on the bed, despite being so subtle and gentle, were all it took to awaken the female Guardian. Mack let out a sigh, shrugging his shoulders as he set his white feet onto the soft, burgundy carpet and carefully stood up. Aura yawned as she sat up in bed with her arms and wings outstretched.

"Good morning, my dear," said Mack softly, smiling at his mate as he cautiously made his way towards the glass door.

"Good morning indeed, my love," said Aura sweetly as she opened her eyes, "Is something wrong, Mack? You're up awful early." Mack sighed again as he stepped towards the glass portal.

"I think something hit the balcony door… again…" said a very disappointed Mack. Aura closed her eyes, bowing her head and slowly swiveling it back and forth with dismay.

"Oh, not again…" said Aura, yawning softly as she dangled her feet over her side of the bed and gently touched down on the soft floor. Aura grumbled to herself as she stood up straight and gently shook her fluffy skirt a few times to even out the petticoats. Aura was very tired indeed and had been looking forward to sleeping in with her mate, but once again, fate had other ideas. Aura walked up behind Mack and said, "I just hope it wasn't another stupid bird…" Mack froze in his tracks, his jaw hanging slack and his eyes opening wide when he got a glimpse of what was lying on the balcony.

"You're not all that far from the truth," said Mack in a very worried tone of voice, "For the most part!" Mack quickly threw open the sliding door and knelt down next to the winged male Gardevoir who was lying with his arms, legs and wings sprawled out on the balcony with his face flat against the floor. The Gardevoir wore a wedding dress much like Mack's, but the embroidery was accented with small, smooth and clear diamonds. Mack quickly recognized who the unfortunate soul was who had crashed onto the balcony.

"Artemis?" asked Mack with shock; tenderly placing his hands on the young Gardevoir's back, "Can you hear me?" Mack gently shook Artemis, hoping the newlywed Gardevoir would soon wake up. Aura knelt next to Mack, hoping and praying that their friend would be alright. Artemis groaned as he started to wake up. He sluggishly rolled onto his back and tried to sit up.

"Easy does it, Artemis," said Mack softly as he and Aura helped the woozy Gardevoir sit up straight.

"Are you okay?" asked a very concerned Aura.

"I think so," said Artemis, placing his left hand on his head as he folded up his wings behind his back and took a few deep breaths, "Maybe I shouldn't have tried to be so bold, especially on my first flight…"

"You mean you tried to land on mine and Mack's small balcony on your first flight?" asked Aura with slight anger in her voice, "Artemis! You should know better than that! You could have been seriously hurt or even killed!" Mack carefully looked Artemis over, checking him over for any injuries.

"For your sake, and Fina's," said Mack softly as he ever so carefully helped Artemis back on his feet, "I would strongly recommend that you be a lot more careful from here on out, Artemis. You may innately know how to fly, but that does not make up for experience. Besides, I would rather not have to place you in a body cast for several months because you decided to take a foolish risk."

"Or in a casket for that matter," said Aura harshly, "I imagine that Fina would want you to be her mate for longer than a few days." Artemis looked up at Aura, took a deep breath, closed his eyes and nodded his head in agreement.

"Flight can be very wonderful, my friend," said Mack, hoping to reassure Artemis, "But it is also very dangerous. I trust you will be more careful from now on?"

"I will," replied Artemis with a nod of affirmation. Aura took a deep breath, quickly regaining her composure.

"I'm sorry for being so harsh, Artemis," said Aura softly.

"I forgive you," said a remorseful Artemis, "Still, if anyone should be apologizing, it should be me for waking you both up and giving you such a scare. I'm sorry about that…"

"I'm just glad that you're alright," said Mack with a friendly smile, "Still, I better check you out in the lab and make sure you really did come out of that crash without a scratch."

"Say…" said a curious Aura as she turned her gentle gaze upon the shaken male Gardevoir, "Where is Fina, anyway?"

"Up here!" said a voice from directly above Mack, Aura and Artemis. The Guardians and their friend quickly looked up and watched as Fina flew over the roof of the mansion. She flapped her mighty wings vigorously as she slowly drifted down towards the balcony, gently setting her feet down on the floor. The newlywed Gardevoir leapt forward and wrapped her arms around her mate, holding him tightly.

"Are you okay, Artemis?" asked Fina frantically as she buried her head into the soft satin on her mate's left shoulder, "Are you hurt?" Artemis gently stroked Fina's back with his right hand as he tenderly wrapped his left arm around her lower torso.

"I'm okay, Fina," said Artemis softly, "I'm okay. Don't worry; I'm never going to try anything so foolish again." Fina looked up at Artemis with a scowl on her face.

"You better not!" snapped Fina, "I want you to be my mate for at least the next two hundred years, got it?" Artemis gulped.

"I certainly hope I can promise you that," said Artemis nervously. Fina's scowl quickly changed into a bright smile.

"I'm glad you're okay, Artemis," said Fina, relieved that her husband was not hurt.

"Now, if you'll kindly excuse me," said Mack, smiling at Artemis and Fina as he let out another yawn, "Is there any particular reason why you've come to Gardev this morning?"

"Did you want to come and visit us as part of your honeymoon?" asked a cheerful Aura.

"Sort of," replied Artemis as he and Fina continued to embrace.

"You see, Angel sent a message to Glacian earlier this morning, summoning us and the rest of the royal family to Gardev. Apparently, she has some sort of project she wants to show all of us," explained a smiling Fina.

"And for some reason, she asked that we each bring all of our dresses and a set of regular Gardevoir clothing to change into later on. A few palace attendants should be arriving with mine and Fina's ball gowns shortly," said a curious Artemis, "I wonder what Angel is planning…"

"Well, how about we all come inside and out of the cold air?" suggested Mack as he motioned for Artemis and Fina to follow him into the mansion. As Mack slid the glass door closed behind Artemis and Fina, Aura was picking up and placing her and Mack's white satin slippers on their bed. Mack's ornate white cape was still draped on the floor.

"Say," said Mack, taking a glance at Artemis and Fina's backs, "How come you aren't wearing your veil, Fina? And where is your cape, Artemis?" The two newlyweds smiled and chuckled warmly.

"Don't you think having our backs covered is a bad idea when it comes to flight?" joked Artemis.

"Ah! Of course," said Mack sheepishly, "Maybe you haven't noticed, but I am rather tired this morning." Mack laughed to himself as he knelt down and picked up the heavy cape from the floor before gingerly laying it out over his and Aura's bed.

"So," said Aura sweetly as she walked up to the young couple, "Aside from Artemis's crash landing, did you enjoy your first flight together?" Artemis smiled, nodding his head.

"Yes, we did," giggled Fina, "Why, I'll never forget the moment when Artemis's wings were born, just before dawn."

"How about that, Artemis?" said Mack happily as he came alongside Aura, "Now, are you finally ready to be called Artemis, Prince of Olympus?" The young Gardevoir nodded his head as he wrapped his left arm around Fina's torso.

"He certainly looks the part," giggled Fina, blushing slightly, "Especially with a princess at his side."

"Don't I know it, my love," said Artemis blissfully, "Don't I know it." The newlyweds kissed each other passionately. Just as Mack was about to say something, another voice was clearly heard in the room, squeaking with irritation and impatience: coming from behind the bedroom door.

"Gee, I wonder who that could be…" said Aura, smiling with slight sarcasm in her voice. Aura quickly walked to and then opened the door, revealing a lone Pikachu.

"Now, what does the little cutie want?" asked Aura, placing her hands on her hips while speaking in a sickeningly-sweet voice.

"I just wanted to say good morning," said William, quite annoyed as he looked up at Aura, "However, it seems like everyone is too busy to answer the door. I must have been scratching and knocking on the door for the last ten minutes…"

"Don't be sour, my little friend," said a happy Aura as she bent over, gently picked up the furry rodent and cradled him in her arms, "We're all glad to see you." William squeaked softly and happily as Aura held him close.

"Good morning, buddy," said Mack cheerfully, reaching out with his left hand and then gently stroking William's forehead, "Say, do you know when breakfast will be served?"

"I don't know," said William with glee, the Pikachu immensely enjoying the attention from his owners, "Agatha is having a rough time this morning because the stove is on the fritz again." Mack and Aura glanced at each other nervously.

"Mack, dear, didn't we replace the stove just last year?" asked a bewildered Aura.

"We did," said Mack as he looked down at William, "What's wrong with the stove, little guy?" A loud, yet muffled boom echoed throughout the entire mansion. If anyone in the lavish home had still been sleeping just moments ago, they were now wide awake.

"That," was William's blunt reply. The Guardians, Fina and Artemis said not a word for several minutes. The dreadful silence was soon interrupted by a barely audible voice, coming from somewhere on the mansion's first floor.

"Don't worry, Warren!" said Agatha with triumph, her muffled voice just barely being understood by the four thoroughly surprised Gardevoirs and one Pikachu, "I'm just fine and I managed to save the doughnuts!" For several more minutes, the group of astonished Pokémon remained silent, standing completely still until another voice echoed through the mansion.

"There wasn't anyone in the kitchen, was there?" asked Warren.

"Nope! I got out with plenty of time to spare," said Agatha with pride, "Plus, we still get a nice, hot breakfast this morning!"

Mack glanced over at Aura with a smile on his face.

"Do you suppose everyone in Gardev is awake now?" asked Mack jokingly. Aura, Fina, Artemis and William laughed warmly.

"I'm glad no one got hurt," said Fina with a sigh of relief.

"Well, I see everyone is up bright and early this morning," said a feminine voice cheerfully from behind Mack and Aura, "Then again, after that blast, no one really has a choice now." Artemis and Fina laughed to themselves at the remark while the Guardians quickly turned around to see Ramirez and Angel walk through the open doorway into the bedroom. It didn't take Mack and the others long to notice that Angel was not wearing her lace veil. Nor was Ramirez wearing his ornate cape.

"I hope we're not intruding," said Ramirez. He was smiling but had just a hint of nervousness to his voice.

"Not at all, brother. Good morning," said a happy Aura as she then turned to face Angel, "And a good morning to you as well, sis." Angel smiled and giggled to herself.

"Now there's something I can definitely get used to," said Angel with glee while looking at Mack and aura, "Having another pair of Gardevoirs I can call part of the family."

"Don't forget about us," said Artemis with a smirk, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Of course! How could I forget?" laughed Angel.

"So, what brings you here this morning?" asked a curious Mack, "Is there something you wanted to ask us, or is there something you need from Aura and I, Angel?"

"Not much," said Angel nonchalantly, "I just need you to hand me all of your dresses." William glanced back and forth at Mack and Aura and then at Artemis and Fina: the four Gardevoirs were staring at Angel as if she had gone absolutely bonkers.

"Why?" asked the confused Guardians, Artemis and Fina in unison.

"I'll be blunt," said Angel, a mischievous smile creeping across her face, "Earlier this morning, I finally realized all of our fancy attire needed some considerable alterations."

"Is that so?" asked a somewhat perplexed Fina.

"What more could our wedding attire need?" said Artemis with disbelief, "More jewels and embroidery?"

"I guess a little fashion show is in order," giggled Angel, glancing at her mate, "Go ahead and turn around, dear." Ramirez smiled and nodded his head in reply. The relief Guardian slowly turned around and spread out his wings as Angel explained what she was planning and pointed at Ramirez's upper back.

"You all probably are well aware that the dresses worn by all members of the Olympus royal family, except for our normal gowns, require that slits be cut into the upper back to allow our wings to pass through the garments," stated Angel as she walked up close behind her husband and pointed at a row of buttons that extended roughly twelve inches below the base of each of the wings slits in Ramirez's wedding dress, "So, it was very easy to come up with a way that will make getting into our wedding attire, ball gowns, ballet attire or any other fancy clothing with ease. As you can see, I made the wing slits in my mate's dress longer and then added some buttons to close up the slits all the way to the base of his wings."

"The alterations certainly made getting this heavy attire on and off a lot easier," remarked Ramirez, "As you can probably guess, Angel already modified her own wedding dress in the same way."

"So, I summoned the entire royal family here to join us for breakfast and to get all their attire modified today," said Angel, taking a glance at Mack's alarm clock while Ramirez folded his wings behind his back and turned around to again face the Guardians, "They should be arriving within the hour." Ramirez couldn't help but laugh as he put his left arm around Angel and held her close.

"And you said you were going to give sewing a break until after our honeymoon," said Ramirez with warm laughter.

"I'm a master seamstress," giggled Angel, "Need I say more?"

"I guess not," admitted Ramirez, leaning over to quickly kiss Angel on her right cheek.

"Now then!" said Angel with excitement, clapping her hands together once, "I may as well start with your attire, Mack and Aura. Just give your ball gowns to Ramirez and we'll be on our way for now. You can give me your wedding attire later. Artemis, Fina: I'll be expecting all of your dresses after you get a chance to change." Mack leisurely made his way to his and Aura's closets, draping his green ball gown and then Aura's sky blue gown over his left arm. As Mack handed Ramirez the two heavy garments, Aura ran back to her closet and started digging through the extra pairs of shoes and her spare Gardevoir gowns.

"Ah! Here it is! I almost forgot!" said Aura with glee. Mack looked over his right shoulder and watched as Aura pulled a beautiful ballet dress from her closet, the same lovely garment that all Kirlia, Gardevoir and Gallade ballet dancers traditionally wore. Aura shook the long-sleeved dress out a few times: a few small clouds of dust erupted from the garment.

"I don't think I've had this out in years," said Aura gleefully as she walked up to Angel and held out the dress to her, "Do you think you could please alter this dress for me as well? You know, in case I'm able to get back into ballet again?"

"I would love to," replied a smiling Angel as she gingerly took the dress from Aura's hands and draped it over her left arm. Mack quickly remembered when Aura told him how, several years ago, she was very close to earning her tiara as a ballet master. However, that dream had to go on the wayside as Aura instead had to take up the duties as Guardian of Gardev.

"Maybe I should make a ballet dress for Mack," said Angel with a sinister smile, "I'm sure he would do anything for you, even if it meant he had to learn ballet at your side." Mack frowned, blushing deeply with his eyes wide open. The Pokémon around the worried male Guardian burst into laughter.

"What has you so afraid, doctor?" laughed Ramirez, "I had to take ballet in school when I was a Kirlia and no one gave me any grief about my attire!"

"If I remember correctly, you were very popular with the girls in our ballet class, weren't you, brother?" giggled Aura.

"Oh, yes!" said Ramirez with pride, "I only wish you were there with me the day I received my tiara, Aura. Joyce would have declared you a ballet master as well in a heartbeat."

"Ah, I didn't know I married a great ballet dancer as well," said Angel with delight, "And I only thought you were good for ballroom dancing." Ramirez smiled at his wife.

"I can teach you the basics someday, if you want me to," offered Ramirez. Angel was giggling with glee at the idea.

"Maybe after our honeymoon," replied Angel, blushing slightly as Ramirez held her close to his left side, "And I promise you my love: after I get everyone's dresses altered, I won't let my work interfere with the rest of our honeymoon."

"I'm going to hold you to your word," said Ramirez with a smirk, "After this little project of yours, no more working for at least the rest of our three-week honeymoon."

"That will be easier than you think, honey," said Angel, grinning at her husband, "It should only take me a good month to get our family members' dresses altered." Ramirez was no longer smiling. Angel laughed and embraced Ramirez.

"I'm just kidding, dear!" said Angel with warm laughter, "Everything should be taken care of before the day is over. Then, it's just you and me for 20 whole days and nights." Ramirez took a deep breath and looked into Angel's eyes.

"Angel, I love you," said Ramirez, chuckling softly as he and Angel kissed. Mack sighed, smiling as he came alongside Aura and put his left arm around her. The Guardian looked over his left shoulder to see Artemis and Fina facing each other, holding hands and staring into each other's eyes. Mack held his blushing wife close: he wondered what Gremlin and Crystal were doing for their honeymoon and he could only hope they were doing their best to not just stay out of sight, but out of trouble as well.

**-133-**

Darkness had fallen over the massive metropolis of Alakaz hours ago. The skies were clear with the stars twinkling brightly overhead, all while a gentle breeze blew down the abandoned avenues and byways of the old, crumbling outskirts of the city. Normally, anyone in their right mind would avoid this expanse of dimly-lit streets and dilapidated buildings. Nonetheless, a group of five young boys were marching down a dark avenue. There were more than a few legends of how these blocks in Alakaz were supposedly haunted, which was exactly why they were there. A young man, roughly 13 years old by the name of Anton, was leading the small group onward to what many considered to be the very epicenter of all paranormal activity in the entire city: the Alakaz Hall for Dance and Performance. A devilish grin spread over Anton's face as he and his compatriots came to a stop twenty yards away from the old building's front doors. Anton took a glance at his watch: the time was 12:31 AM.

"Perfect," thought Anton with glee. He turned around fast to face his two 12-year old friends, Tiburon and Edgar, and then at Timmy and Mike, who both were merely ten years old.

"So, your parents have no idea that you've come all the way out here, right?" asked Anton quietly to the two brothers.

"I snuck out without any trouble," said Timmy confidently.

"Yeah, our parents could sleep through the next world war," said Mike with fearless laughter, "As long as Timmy and I are back before 7:00 AM, they should never know we left." While Anton and his two teenage followers wore dark cloaks over their rather fancy clothing, Timmy and Mike merely wore black long-sleeved shirts, blue jeans and white sneakers. The young brothers' garb was complete with each of them wearing a white hardhat with a battery-power lamped attached the front of each boy's helmet.

"I see you both came adequately prepared," remarked Anton, noticing the full backpacks that Timmy and Mike had over their shoulders, "Very good. Very good, indeed…"

"So, why are we here again?" asked a bewildered Mike.

"You don't remember?" asked Tiburon with laughter.

"You are both here to go through your initiation in order to join Anton's club, remember?" said Edgar with a smile.

"You might recall that I have a huge game room in my basement with all kinds of arcade machines, arcade games and even my large collection of game consoles," boasted Anton, "My club meets down there every weekend where we have fun and play games for hours on end… with no one bothering us."

"Not to mention the snacks!" chuckled Tiburon, "Cookies, pizza, ice cream, pie: anything you can imagine!"

"You guys really just game and enjoy munchies during the entire weekend?" asked Timmy with amazement, "You guys have it made!"

"Did I mention I live in a mansion?" asked Anton, "I practically have anything I want at my fingertips."

"And we want to share the fun with you two," said a cheerful Tiburon, "All you have to do is pass the initiation and your memberships will become official."

"But why would you want to hang out with us?" asked Mike skeptically, "I've heard rumors that you two are nothing but a bunch of rich bullies, tightwads and liars."

"I'm hurt!" snarled Anton as he stomped towards Timmy and Mike with a scowl on his face, "I invite you two to hang out with my friends and I every weekend for fun and treats and you dare say something like that to my face?"

"You can't believe everything you hear," said Tiburon with a smirk, "What do those kids know, anyway? I bet they're just jealous because our families are rich and theirs aren't!" Anton took a deep breath as he looked down upon Timmy and Mike.

"Tell you two what," said Anton, calmness returning to his voice, "I'm willing to forgive you two. Nonetheless, you still have to face your initiation. Edgar? Care to tell them what they have to do to join our club?"

"Timmy, Mike: the requirements are really quite simple," explained Edgar as he pointed towards the old, 4-story building, "You must spend a night in the legendary haunted dance hall. In this case, I would say you are getting off easy as you will only have to stay inside the building for a grand total of six hours. If you leave the dance hall for any reason at all, you lose."

"If you still want to hang with us, you'll have to try again," said Anton firmly, "And next time, you WILL have to spend an entire night in there."

"They say an evil spirit has made its home in the old Alakaz Dance Hall," said Edgar calmly, "No one has dared enter the building since an incident several years ago. In fact, no one will even try entering the building during the day. Just try not to wake the spirit, if it actually is there. Just stay put until sunrise and you win."

"Try not to get scared," chuckled Tiburon, "Remember: if you leave the building, you'll just have to do it all over again." Anton adjusted his black leather gloves, walked behind the two boys and placed his hands on their shoulders. He leaned over and whispered to Timmy and Mike.

"Now, are you ready?" asked Anton softly. Timmy and Mike quickly turned around with big smiles on their faces.

"Yes, sir!" replied Timmy and Mike in unison and no shortage of confidence and bravery. Anton smiled and laughed to himself.

"Good," said Anton in a sinister tone, "Because you're going to need all the courage you can muster."

"The front doors are right over there," said Tiburon, pointing towards the front entryways with both hands.

"Nighty-night!" laughed Anton, "Be brave, little ones!" Timmy and Mike marched up towards the front doors of the darkened building, wondering if hanging out with the rich kids of their school was really going to be worth potentially, at the very least, getting scared within an inch of their lives by a malicious ghost. Timmy and Mike paused, taking a look over their right shoulders towards Anton, Tiburon and Edgar.

"You can do it!" said Edgar confidently, giving the two younger boys a thumbs-up, "See in you two in the morning!" With that, Timmy and Mike pushed open a pair of the double-doors and walked into the dark building in unison. The moments the doors closed, Anton and Tiburon doubled over with laughter.

"I can't believe they fell for it!" laughed Anton.

"What a bunch of losers!" said Tiburon, laughing so hard his face was starting to turn blue, "I never thought tricking those kids into spending a night in that creepy building would have ever been this easy!" Oddly enough, Edgar was not amused.

"You are going to keep you word, are you not, Anton?" demanded Edgar with his arms crossed in front of his chest in an imposing manner. Anton looked up and took a few deeps breaths with a big smile on his face.

"Of course I'm going to keep my word to them!" laughed Anton, "But really, what are the odds that those little munchkins will actually stay in there the whole night? I bet they are going to come bursting through one of the front doors any minute now, screaming their heads off out of sheer terror!"

"And what if they get hurt?" asked Edgar forcefully.

"Edgar, buddy… you worry too much," said Tiburon cheerfully, "The building is completely safe. The structure is perfectly sound. The only reason the old dance hall and these surrounding blocks are being torn down in a few weeks is because they're ancient. Just about every other building is falling apart."

"You know, I remember hearing about a very wealthy businessman who is buying up all this land for some reason," said Anton, "I can't quite remember his name, though… Can you please tell me who was it again, Tiburon?"

"I believe it was Gregory Allens, head of the Allens Corporation," answered Tiburon, "I wonder what a business heavyweight like him would really want with this place…"

"Enough chatter!" said Anton sternly as he faced his comrades, "You two know the drill: cover the back exits to make sure Timmy and Mike don't leave the buildings and I'll stay out front to make sure they don't leave through the front doors unnoticed."

"Right!" said Edgar and Tiburon in unison as they started on their way to the dance hall's rear exits. Anton laughed to himself as he sat down on the pavement and pulled the hood of the cloak over his head.

"I remember when I spent an entire night in that building," thought Anton with glee, "There may not have been any ghosts, but the silence, darkness and ruined décor certainly were quite frightening. Heh! Every time a board would creak, I would think there was something behind me. Those poor little kids… Heh, heh, heh! I'm going to really enjoy this!" Anton waited patiently on the pavement, hoping for the moment when Timmy and Mike would come screaming out of the building. The night air may have been warm as the summer was still not quite over in the Gardev Region. However, after a few hours, the cracked asphalt was starting to become quite uncomfortable. As time dragged on, Anton was starting to wonder if scaring a couple of kids was really worth all this trouble. Anton tapped his fingers against the cool pavement while the minutes dragged on and on. Before Anton realized it, the sun was starting to rise over the mountainous horizon toward the east. Anton stood up and stretched out his arms, slowly taking a few steps forward to loosen up his legs and hoping he wouldn't get any cramps from sitting still in the middle of the degraded parking lot for so many hours straight. A few minutes later, Tiburon and Edgar had regrouped with their leader.

"So, did you two see anything?" queried Anton.

"Nadda!" replied Tiburon bluntly.

"I didn't see or hear anything," said Edgar with a sigh of relief, "I'll take it as a good sign that Timmy and Mike are safe and didn't get hurt last night."

"Unless the 'Evil Spirit' devoured them and their souls with one monstrous gulp!" laughed Tiburon. The sound of creaking doors quickly grabbed the trio's undivided attention. Timmy and Mike emerged from the front entryway of the theater. They were completely unscathed and, most importantly, did not seem to be frightened, not even a little bit! Anton and Tiburon were aghast while Edgar did not seem surprised at all. Instead, Edgar was smiling, glad that the young brothers were alright.

"So…" said Anton with amazement as he approached the two boys, "You guys did alright in there after all, huh?"

"We had a great time!" said Timmy happily. With that comment, Anton, Tiburon and Edgar were all slack-jawed and wide-eyed.

"Say that again…?" asked Anton with disbelief, "You two actually enjoyed being in that place…?"

"Anton, do you think they might not be playing with full decks? If you get my meaning," asked an astonished Tiburon, tapping the left side of his head with his left pointer finger.

"Oh, be quiet, Tiburon!" snapped Edgar as he walked up to Timmy and Mike, "So, what happened in there during the night? Did you guys throw a party or something?"

"Actually, we were invited to a party," replied a happy Mike. Again, Anton and his friends were taken aback, not at all believing what they were hearing.

"Invited to a party, eh?" asked Edgar while he slowly regained his composure, "So, who did you meet and what did you do?"

"Well, Mike and I were scared at first, but then the lights came on and we saw that the inside of the building was clean and in very nice order. A couple of nice little girls in beautiful white dresses approached us and asked if we wanted to join them for tea and cookies," explained Timmy with a smile.

"Wait a minute! I thought the building was a complete wreck inside!" said Anton with amazement, "It's like 'Creepy Central' in there when it gets dark!"

"Someone must have cleaned up the building's interior, maybe renovated the place?" suggested Edgar as his gaze again fell upon Timmy and Mike, "Wait… you said a couple of little girls invited you to a tea party?"

"That's right!" replied Mike gleefully.

"The purple girl was kind of creepy at first, but she was nice and told us the coolest stories," said Timmy with excitement.

"The pale, blue-haired girl even gave us the most delicious cookies we've ever had!" said Mike energetically, "I must have eaten a dozen of them!"

"Yeah, we had a great time," said Timmy, letting out a sigh of disappointment, "It's just too bad they had to leave us before the sun came up…"

"This is downright eerie," whispered Tiburon to Anton.

"You don't need to tell me that!" snapped Anton.

"I think you two may have met the ghosts who are said to haunt the old dance hall," said Edgar with an appreciative nod, "I think that's pretty cool!"

"Oh! That's reminds me!" said a wide-eyed Timmy, "I almost forgot! Anton, Tiburon? The girls said they really wanted to meet both of you as well."

"What about me?" asked Edgar with some disappointment in his voice, "Don't they want to meet me, too?"

"They really do want to see you, Edgar, but they said they don't know if they'll be able to," replied Mike, "They told us that they had something very special planned for your friends."

"Well," said Anton, smiling while he adjusting the collar of his shirt, "I may as well go in and introduce myself, then."

"That goes double for me!" said Tiburon with anticipation, "Some great cookies would make for an awesome breakfast!"

"Then what are we waiting for?" asked Anton impatiently, "Let's go see them!" Timmy, Mike and Edgar only watched as the two older boys strutted up towards the main entrance of the building with smiles on their faces.

"We aren't really going to let those little punks join our club, are we Anton?" whispered Tiburon to Anton.

"Of course not!" snarled Anton quietly, hoping he would not be heard by anyone else but Tiburon, "Remember, we were hoping the little weasels would be scared out of their minds while we all got a good laugh at THEIR expense."

"Maybe we need to do something better with our free time," said Tiburon with a heavy sigh as he pushed open one of the front doors. The two young men peered into the building: for some reason, many of the floorboards were ajar, sticking up through some ratty-looking old red carpets. There were cobwebs and dust everywhere and on everything while all the light fixtures were either cracked or broken. Anton and Tiburon took a few slow and cautious steps forward. Sunlight was pouring into the area through broken windows. Nonetheless, Anton and Tiburon knew something was amiss.

"I have a really bad feeling about this, Anton…" whispered Tiburon. Anton said nothing. Suddenly, the double doors behind the two boys slammed shut, as did the shutters for every single window in the building. As the front room was plunged into deeper and deeper darkness, Anton and Tiburon knew they were in serious trouble. Tiburon ran towards the front doors as the darkness continued to overtake the area. He grabbed onto the door's bars and pulled with all his might, but to no avail.

"We're locked in here!" yelled Tiburon. Anton moved not a muscle as the entire building was plunged into the deepest darkness he had ever experienced. Timmy, his brother, and Edgar only watched in horror: their eyes wide open in shock as the sound of maniacal, evil laughter echoed throughout the empty streets while bloodcurdling screams erupted from the old dance hall. After a few minutes, the building's shutters and front doors quickly opened back up. Edgar, Timmy and Mike were not entirely sure what to make of what had just unfolded before their eyes. They watched as Anton and Tiburon emerged from the building's front entryway, staggering with each step.

"What in the world?" shouted Edgar with disbelief. Anton and Tiburon's hair was sticking straight up, bleached white. The two boys looked as if they had been nearly scared to death. They stopped a few feet away from Edgar and the younger boys.

"So…" said Anton, his eyes wide open while he breathed heavily, "They had something… 'Special' in store for me, huh…?"

"They didn't want us to tell you," said Timmy angrily.

"Yeah!" said Mike, "The girls told us they only scare bad people, like you losers!"

"Excuse me?" thundered Anton with unbridled anger.

"You were never going to let us hang out with you!" said Mike, shaking his fist at Anton, "You were hoping my brother and I would freak out in there!"

"Who told you that bundle of lies?" asked Tiburon, trying to act and sound innocent.

"Those girls did!" answered Timmy sharply.

"But they didn't want to scare Edgar, 'cause he's cool," said Mike with a quick nod of his head, "And nice."

"Well," said Edgar, "That would explain what just happened."

"Mark my words! You two little creeps are going to pay dearly for this!" snarled Anton. Right before Anton was about to speak again, he felt a strange coldness about his body as a hideous voice spoke into his right ear.

"You better not, for your sake…" said the malicious voice, sounding much like a horrid monster, licking its lips with glee as it spoke, "Do you really desire to become my next meal…?" Tiburon looked over at Anton, wondering why his friend had suddenly seized with a look of absolute terror on his face.

"Are you alright?" asked Tiburon, "Why don't we beat these little punks into the ground and be done with it!"

"You'll have to get past me, first," warned Edgar, holding his clenched fists up, ready for a fight. Anton put his right hand onto Tiburon's left shoulder.

"Leave them," said Anton softly, "I don't know about you, but I really do not want to become some demon's lunch…"

"I doubt they were demons," said Timmy with a stern voice, "They were nice and were going to give you two freaks what you deserve."

"Here, here," said Edgar in agreement.

"Edgar! How dare you side with them!" shouted Anton with fury.

"I'll get you guys home," said Edgar with a friendly smile, "Let's leave Anton and Tiburon here. Maybe your spirit-friends will be eager to teach them another lesson if needed."

"That's right! We need to get home before our parents get up!" said Mike with fright. Edgar and Timmy nodded their heads in agreement and, without speaking another word, started on a hasty walk back to their homes.

"Wait! Come back!" pleaded Anton as he and Tiburon started running after Edgar and the two brothers, "Timmy! Mike! I'm sorry! You can hang out at my mansion if you want!"

"Yeah! We won't be bad anymore! Don't leave us here!" yelled a thoroughly scared Tiburon as he followed behind Anton. From the fourth-story windows of the large, old building, two pairs of eyes, their faces obscured by shadows, were watching the five boys closely as they all ran down the street and were soon out of sight once they rounded a corner. Crystal giggled with sheer delight and Gremlin laughed up a storm as he and his Kirlia wife tightly embraced each other.

"Oh! You were perfect, Gremlin!" said Crystal gleefully, "Not only did you scare those bullies silly, but I'm sure you taught them a lesson they won't forget any time soon!"

"I couldn't have done it without you, my dear," said the grinning Sableye, "Your psychic abilities were most useful in giving those two goons the full treatment!"

"You really think so?" giggled Crystal.

"I know so!" cackled Gremlin as he leaned forward to land a quick kiss on Crystal's soft, white lips, "We're going to be a perfect team. No doubt about it!" Crystal laughed warmly as she stroked Gremlin's belly with her right hand. She couldn't help but look down at herself and her mate as they stood together in their glamorous wedding attire.

"I still can't believe that you actually wore a wedding dress," said Crystal blissfully, "Especially one like this… I just love the way the black bramble embroidery moves as you walk: like it's trying to wrap and constrict around you. Then there are the diamond-tipped thorns… dangerous looking, yet still pretty…"

"Anything for you, my little princess," said Gremlin with a smile, chuckling warmly as he embraced his wife. Crystal put her arms back around her mate, holding him close and tightly.

"Do you really think Anton and Tiburon have learned their lesson?" asked Crystal sweetly.

"I doubt they walked out here without learning something," replied Gremlin with a mischievous smile, "If I didn't know any better, I would say we shook those two young men to the core at the very least!"

"Which reminds me," said Crystal, looking about the ruined hallway, "Don't you think it's time to dispel this little illusion of yours?" Gremlin nodded his head.

"Right! Just a moment," said Gremlin as he held Crystal close and shut his eyes. A loud "Poof!" echoed throughout the nearly empty building as smoke engulfed the interior. The purple smoke cleared within a few moments, revealing the dance hall's bright interior: returned to its full glory.

"Much better," said a grateful Crystal, "Thank you very much."

"You're very welcome, my love," said Gremlin with a tender voice, leaning towards his beautifully-dressed wife about ready to kiss her once again.

"Is there a fire in here or something?" demanded K-1 as his metallic feet clanked against the white marble-tiled floor. He walked into the hallway and glared down at Gremlin.

"Is something wrong, K-1?" asked Gremlin, grinning as usual.

"I suppose not," said K-1, his angry scowl becoming a look of despair, "Still, I really wish you would give me more warning before using your powers. I thought the entire building had suddenly erupted into flames."

"And why would I burn down my honeymoon suite?" asked Gremlin.

"Good point," was K-1's reply.

"Good morning to you, K-1," giggled Crystal, turning her head to face her robotic friend, "How is breakfast coming?"

"Everything is going well," replied K-1 respectfully, "I hope French toast, scrambled eggs and bacon sound good to you."

"Sounds great, K-1," said Gremlin, "I'm looking forward to a good meal, especially since my parents are coming to visit us today." Crystal gasped.

"That's right!" said Crystal with mounting fear, "Honey, do you think your mom and dad… will like me?"

"Of course they will," said Gremlin softly, hoping to reassure his wife, "I think they will enjoy having you as their first daughter-in-law. Trust me."

"If you say so, dear," said Crystal, smiling as she quickly kissed Gremlin's right cheek, "That reminds me…"

"Reminds you of what, milady?" asked K-1 as Crystal looked up and met K-1 face to face.

"Whatever happened to the S-5?" asked a concerned Crystal, "Is it still in the parking lot? I'm surprised those five young men didn't walk right into it!"

"That's because I moved the _Titan_ to the roof not long after you and Gremlin went to bed last night around 8:00. The S-5 is currently hovering over the roof in stealth mode. Nobody should be able to find it," was K-1's confident reply. The moment the robot had finished his remark he, Gremlin and Crystal were startled by a metallic "Thump!" and a loud "Squawk!" from somewhere up on the roof, followed closely by a soft "Thud!" Gremlin and Crystal looked at the robot with looks of horror and bewilderment on their faces. K-1 let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head back and forth with dismay.

"Well… everything would be alright if those stupid birds would quit running into the S-5…" said a despairing K-1, "That's the third one to crash into the _Titan_ since I moved it to the roof… You think they would have learned their lesson after the first two impacts…" While K-1 walked away, the pleasant smells from a nice, warm meal began to drift into the hallway. Crystal could hear the soft clicking and whirring from the R-25 robots' servos as they worked to make breakfast for her and Gremlin. One of the robots poked his head out from around a corner down the hall.

"Sir, Madam," said the R-25 with an almost nasal, very much metallic voice, "Breakfast shall be ready soon. May you please follow me to the dining room now?"

"Certainly!" said a cheerful Gremlin as he faced Crystal, "Time to get breakfast and then get ready for our parents' arrival."

"'Our' parents…" said Crystal with a smile as she leaned against her husband, "I'm looking forward to meeting them."

"Shall I carry you, my love?" asked Gremlin, bowing towards his lovely wife with a big smirk spread across his face, "And take you to the dining room with you kicking, struggling and screaming?" Crystal couldn't help but laugh.

"Don't you dare take me away, you little conniving monster…" said Crystal, giggling and blushing. She took a few steps away from Gremlin, just to further humor him.

"Oh, you have no choice, my dear…" said Gremlin sinisterly as he stepped towards Crystal, "You're mine now…" Crystal smiled, shrieking and kicking her legs playfully as Gremlin took her up in his arms and then draped her over his left shoulder.

"Oh, no!" laughed Crystal, "This horrible monster is taking me… taking me to breakfast! Someone please save me!"

"There's no escape now, my pretty!" laughed Gremlin, leaning his head against Crystal's left side, "You will never be rid of me!" Oddly enough, Crystal really enjoyed this little game of Gremlin's. She struggled and kicked her feet while the soft petticoats under her skirt rustling softly. Of course, Crystal wasn't trying to escape: she loved how much Gremlin cared for her and rather enjoyed being in his gentle grasp. Still, the young newlywed Kirlia couldn't help but wonder how Gremlin's parents would react when they met her.


	2. Section 2

**-134-**

Once again, Mack was hard at work in the main control room of his underground laboratory. He was sitting in front of Central's main control console with his gaze fixed upon the screen and his green fingers at the keyboard. A soft humming sound, electronic clicks and beeps filled the room. Mack was busy reviewing design schematics for what would be his next major undertaking.

"Show me design #J Alpha, Version #78, please," asked Mack.

"Certainly, Mack," was Central's cheerful reply. Almost immediately, a complex wire frame design for a new set of battle armor was displayed on the large screen. Mack critiqued the 3D model closely, wanting to make certain that everything was in perfect order with no further faults in the design.

"I think this is the one we'll use," said Mack as he stood up from his chair and leaned over the keyboard and console to take a closer look, "If these calculations are correct, the replacement for the S-100 Type I Battle Armor should have at least ten times the defensive capabilities of the old model."

"As well as a twenty-fold increase in firepower," added Central as one of her cameras panned to the right, focusing on Mack's face, "Are you sure this is the design you wish to use?"

"If nothing, this setup is very, very close to what we need," replied Mack, "I only wish we had a way to eliminate the requirement for a gravity gyro as well as decrease the armor's weight by at least 25%. We also have to find a way to reinforce the complex systems and circuitry. The last thing I want is more catastrophic failures, like what happened to the S-100 I."

"In order to do that, we would have to decrease the armor plate thickness by 50% and add substantial reinforcements to the internal structure," said Central, "Certainly an unacceptable tradeoff of defense for less speed and reliability. Not to mention all the reinforcements needed for the onboard systems." Mack let out a sigh as he sat back down in his chair.

"I think it's official, Central," said Mack as he leaned back, "Unless we find a suitable new metal to replace the ultra-alloy composite, we will not be able to make the S-100 J nearly as nimble and resilient as needed."

"Are you suspecting that Shadow Mack will don armor at least as powerful as the S-100 J?" queried Central.

"Probably a lot more powerful," replied Mack, "Whatever we build, it will have to push our current technology to its very limits, and that's saying something considering the thousands of years worth of research we've done on the S-100 and all its variants." Mack almost jumped when he felt someone put their hand on his right shoulder.

"Sorry, dear," said Aura sweetly, "I didn't mean to startle you." Mack looked over his right shoulder, his gaze falling upon his smiling wife's face.

"It's no problem," said Mack as he stood up from his seat and took a few steps towards Aura before wrapping his arms around her, "I was hoping for some company."

"Perhaps having another person collaborating will help us come to a more viable solution?" suggested a hopeful Central.

"I'd be glad to help," said Aura with enthusiasm while she and Mack embraced, "So! What are you two working on today?"

"I would say we have the same level of problem as trying to get the proverbial square peg in a round hole," answered Central.

"In other words, we're trying to find a replacement design for the S-100 Type I armor," explained Mack.

"The biggest problem is that our current materials are incompatible with the best new armor design we currently have," said a somber Central, "The calculated prototype would be downright unwieldy due to its size and weight."

"Right now, we're looking at an armor suit that makes us roughly 8 feet, 2 inches tall and has an estimated weight of at least a few thousand pounds," said Mack, laughing nervously, "That would put a lot of strain on the power generators, hydraulic actuators as well as the gravity gyro."

"Let's see… if I remember correctly…" said Aura, trying to recall some of her memories, "A gravity gyro bends the gravitational field around an object, making it weight substantially less, or a lot more if you needed it to."

"That is correct, mistress," said Central respectfully, "I'm very glad to see that you have learned much about Mack's inventions." Aura laughed warmly and held Mack tightly.

"Of course, it really helps that I inherited practically all of my husband's knowledge from the time when he and I had to inhabit the same body," giggled Aura.

"Oh, yes," remarked Central, "I had almost forgotten about that. Still, your input will definitely be of great help."

"Thank you, Central," said Aura with a smile as she and Mack sat down together on the seat before Central's main control console, "So, what are the primary building materials that we have to work with?" Central paused for but a moment as she retrieved information from her massive data array.

"Currently, a metallic composite known as Ultra-Alloy will be used for the armor's outer hull with micro chainmail made of the same material to reinforce the armor's joints. Lastly, a super-conductive metal known as Mega-Alloy will serve as the main material for all circuits and wiring for the onboard systems, such as weapons, shield generators, computers, life support and other such things," was Central's very thorough reply.

"That problem is that these alloys will make the new armor suit bulky and extremely heavy," said Mack with disappointment, "If the gravity gyro was knocked offline, we would be dealing with nearly 2,000 pounds on our bodies. Then all the hydraulic systems needed to move such a heavy object efficiently would also add more weight to the armor while making it larger and all the more unwieldy. Heck, we may as well be trying to build a small tank instead of mechanized body armor!"

"So…" said Aura, leaning against her mate's left side, "Why not create some new types of metals?"

"I'm already working on that," said Central, "But all the analyzing of possible new alloys is very time-consuming, especially since a very large portion of my processing power is being reserved for finding a concoction which will revert Mack back to his original form while transforming you, Aura, into a vixen: without any chance of side effects or death."

"Then there's only one thing to do," said Aura as she stood up from the large, cushy chair, "We'll just have to wait until you find some better metals for us to work with."

"But the process could take years," said Mack with a scowl, "And Shadow Mack is out there. I can't imagine what he's planning now." Aura merely smiled as she bent over, reached out and gently held onto Mack's hands.

"If all we can do is wait, then there really is no point fretting over this problem, is there?" asked Aura softly. Mack looked up at Aura: he let out a gentle sigh and smiled.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again," said Mack as he stood up and met Aura face to face, "A wise husband always takes his wife's advice to heart."

"Besides, we have other things to deal with for the time being," said Aura sweetly, "Like you learning ballet." Mack froze: his smile and calmness gone in an instant.

"Now, wait!" said Mack fearfully as he let go of Aura's hands and took a few steps away from his grinning mate, "I never said anything about learning ballet!"

"You're going to have to learn sooner or later," said Aura in a sweet manner that still managed to freak out her husband instead of calming his now thoroughly frayed nerves, "Next spring, I want to go to Olympus to have you fitted for a ballet dress and slippers. Then we need to arrange having an instructor visit us here in Gardev at least once a week for lessons."

"You can't make me…!" started Mack as Aura leaned forward and gently placed one of her fingers against Mack's mouth.

"Just think of it as learning more about Gardevoir traditions, which you may remember is part of my job since you were not born as one of our species," said a smiling Aura. Mack said not a word as Aura turned around and started on her way out of the control room. She only paused for a moment to look over her shoulder as the main doors slid open: her mate looked like he had just been sentenced to death and would now be on his way to the gallows at any moment. Once Aura had left the room and the heavy metal doors had closed in her wake, Mack managed to regain only a shred of his composure.

"Gadzooks… So, I have what…? Six months until… my doom?" asked Mack slowly, "Oh, man…"

"I would hardly call it doom," said Central, hoping she could reassure her creator and dear friend, "After all, Gardevoirs greatly value dancing and you're always talking about how much you want Aura to be happy…"

"And it looks like I'm going to eat those words before long…" said Mack with a heavy sigh as he sat back down in the chair and slumped against the black leather cushions, "With a horrible side-dish of white lace and satin…"

"Considering your high status, I imagine that a considerable amount of jewels would be part of the attire as well," said Central, "Besides, at least Gardevoir ballet attire is nowhere near as flashy as your wedding dress or ball gown." Mack looked over into one of Central's cameras, his face clearly showing the despair that now plagued his mind.

"Central… you're not helping me at all…" was the last thing Mack would say to anyone for the rest of the morning.

**-135-**

The morning may have gone without any further problems, except the occasional Pidgey or Spearow making an unexpected stop on their flight, courtesy of the cloaked S-5. Nonetheless, Crystal was very nervous about meeting her in-laws. Gremlin could easily tell that his wife was very worried, so he spent the morning and the early afternoon at her side, reminding her now and then with a gentle voice how much he loved her and about how loving his mother and father were. Crystal, of course, greatly appreciated the comforting words of her mate. Still, she couldn't help but be nervous, not knowing what to expect. By 2:00 in the afternoon, Gremlin and Crystal were enjoying a nice dance, glad to have the massive stage all to themselves.

"Thank you Gremlin," said Crystal softly as she and her mate twirled together in their sparkling wedding attire. A small radio and CD player with speakers filled the auditorium with faint, yet pleasant music.

"Oh? For what, my love?" asked Gremlin sweetly.

"For helping me feel better," said Crystal with a gentle voice.

"You are very welcome, my lovely ballerina," said Gremlin, chuckling warmly as he and Crystal continued to enjoy sharing another waltz together, "Trust me, dear: my mother and father will be utterly delighted to meet you. In fact, my brother is coming to visit, too!"

"I didn't know you had a brother," giggled Crystal, "Is he a lot like you?" Gremlin cleared his throat.

"He's a bit unusual, but don't worry," said Gremlin reassuringly, "He's a very nice fellow. I'm sure he'll be happy to have you as a sister-in-law."

"So, when do you think they will be here?" asked Crystal with excitement. Gremlin smiled happily, noticing how Crystal was feeling better and was now looking forward to meeting her new mother and father in law.

"They should be here any moment now," replied Gremlin with a bright smile on his face. No sooner had he finished speaking when a loud knock from one of the auditorium's lower-level entryways echoed throughout the cavernous room.

"Gremlin?" asked a somewhat gruff voice from behind the center aisle door, "Are you in there? May we please come in?" Gremlin and Crystal stopped dancing and quickly adjusted their dresses and red sashes, since Crystal really wanted to make a very good first impression to her new mother, father and brother in-laws.

"Come on in, Dad! Please!" said Gremlin joyfully. The twin doors at the end of the center aisle slowly opened inward, revealing a pair of Pokémon, standing side by side and holding hands: one of them was rather tall and the other one was much shorter. Needless to say, Crystal was very surprised. She knew Gremlin's father was a Sableye, but she never imagined that her mate's mother was a Jynx. The newlywed Kirlia wasn't the only astonished Pokémon in the theater. The moment the older Sableye got a look at his son, he nearly fell flat on his face.

"Easy, dear… Easy," said the Jynx with a silvery voice and a smile on her face as she steadied her husband. Gremlin's father quickly regained his balance and again fixed his gaze on his son. The older Sableye erupted with laughter, as did the Jynx.

"Why on earth are you dressed like that?" laughed Gremlin's father, not sure what to make of Gremlin's wedding dress, "You sure are full of surprises, son!"

"Just like you, Pop!" said Gremlin happily, "Please! Come join us on stage! My lovely bride really wants to meet you."

"She is indeed very lovely," remarked the Jynx with a gentle voice as she and her husband approached the stage, "I must say, beautifully dressed as well." Crystal blushed slightly as Gremlin's parents climbed up onto the stage and stood before their son and his smiling Kirlia wife. Crystal noticed that Gremlin's father was about the same height as her mate. The older Sableye smiled and held out his right hand towards the blushing young bride.

"A pleasure to meet you, my dear," said the older Sableye cheerfully, "My name is Asmodeus. The lovely creature on my left is my wife, Cheryl."

"I'm very delighted to meet you, Crystal!" said an enthusiastic Cheryl as Asmodeus gently shook Crystal's right hand a few times, "Gremlin has told us a lot about you."

"Really?" asked Crystal with a smile, "What has he told you?"

"All kinds of things!" cackled Asmodeus in reply.

"For starters, you are a very nice and very talented young woman," said a happy Cheryl, taking a few steps towards Crystal and Gremlin, "Like Gremlin, you are an accomplished ballet dancer and were even promoted to the rank of Teacher during the summer. We even heard about your wedding."

"I'm proud of you, Gremlin!" said Asmodeus, "You made your wedding day quite… 'Memorable' for not just you and your bride, but you also unnerved a good number of your guests with your powers. Heh, heh! I'm very happy that you found such a loving creature to be your wife."

"I wouldn't have gone and married him if he was a total monster or a slob," said Crystal with a smirk.

"Ah! I see you have a good sense of humor as well, Crystal," remarked Asmodeus, grinning at the smug bride, "I think we're going to get along fine."

"Are those diamonds on your dress, Crystal?" asked Cheryl with amazement, "I don't think I've ever seen such a beautiful lady."

"Yes, there are small diamonds accenting the embroidery on my dress, Cheryl," replied Crystal, "My jewelry is made of gold and diamonds, too! I got to have such lovely wedding attire because I'm a ballet instructor and also because my father is the captain of the Elite Guards in Olympus."

"Ooh! I like the red, shimmering sash you are wearing. It goes very nice with your dress," remarked Cheryl with a smile.

"Why, thank you, Cheryl," said a cheerful Crystal.

"Hey, dear," said Cheryl to her husband, "Do you think you could get me a nice outfit like Crystal's someday?"

"Maybe on our next anniversary we can renew our vows," said Asmodeus, shrugging his shoulders, "That would be the perfect time and yes, I would get you something dazzling for that day."

"So…" said Cheryl with slight nervousness in her voice, "Why is Gremlin wearing a wedding dress, too?"

"I was about to ask that myself," chuckled Asmodeus, "Were you just trying to freak me and your mother out?"

"Actually, Gremlin wore a wedding dress for two reasons," said Crystal, a bright smile on her face.

"That's right!" cackled Gremlin with a toothy grin, "First off, I wore this attire because I wanted to follow Gardevoir tradition for Crystal."

"You are quite cute in your fluffy dress," giggled Crystal.

"Thank you, my love," said Gremlin with warm laughter, "Well; I also dressed up like this to freak out some of the guests."

"Such as your best friend, Simon?" asked Cheryl with a smirk.

"That's right!" laughed Gremlin, "You should have seen the look on his face when he saw me coming down the aisle! In fact, most of the other guests were rather unnerved at my attire, too!"

"Just look at the embroidery," said Crystal sweetly.

"I see," remarked Cheryl with awe, "It looks like horrible, black bramble has wrapped itself around Gremlin. The thorns look like they are tipped with small diamonds, too."

"Watch what happens when he walks," giggled Crystal. Gremlin laughed as he strutted back and forth on the stage.

"Well I'll be a Mankey's uncle!" said Asmodeus as he erupted with laughter, "It looks like those horrid vines tighten and constrict around Gremlin with each step that he takes!"

"All while the diamonds sparkle in the light!" said Cheryl, laughing warmly while Gremlin walked back to his wife's side.

"Simply brilliant!" said Asmodeus, clapping his hands together, "I would expect nothing less from you, my son! Bravo! Ha, ha, ha! You must have put on quite a show at your wedding, indeed!"

"Oh, he was a real showoff, alright!" laughed Crystal. Once Gremlin was standing back at his mate's side, the newlywed Sableye only then remembered something about his parents' visit.

"Say… Mom, Dad?" asked Gremlin, "Where's my brother, Michael? I thought he had decided to tag along with you."

"Of course!" said Asmodeus sheepishly, "I almost forgot! Crystal: you would like to meet Gremlin's brother, right?" Crystal smiled and nodded her head in reply. Cheryl giggled softly and turned around to face the open twin doors at the opposite end of the center aisle.

"Michael! Please come to the auditorium!" Cheryl called out, her voice echoing throughout the massive room, "Crystal would like to meet you!" Crystal kept her eyes on the open doors: she was somewhat anxious to meet her new brother-in-law. She figured Michael would be an unusually-tall Sableye, like Gremlin, but nothing could have prepared the young Kirlia for what she would soon see. A shadowed figure appeared in the doorway, somewhat taller than Gremlin and with a silhouette that somewhat resembled a Jynx, only thinner. As the unidentified Pokémon stepped in the bright lights of the auditorium, Crystal nearly dropped to the floor in shock. Sure enough, Gremlin's brother may have been a Sableye, but not only did he have long, blonde hair that almost reached to the floor, but he also was wearing the familiar red dress with yellow highlights around the chest area that all Jynx traditionally wore. Gremlin helped steady his surprised mate as Michael made his way down the aisle and was soon on stage, standing before Crystal and Gremlin with a friendly smile on his face.

"So you must be Crystal," said Michael with a gentle voice while he bowed towards the shocked bride, "I'm delighted to meet you."

"Gremlin…?" whispered Crystal to her husband as quietly as she possibly could, "Um… are you sure this isn't actually your sister and that her name isn't Michelle?" Michael erupted with warm laughter, clearly hearing what Crystal had said.

"Michelle, eh?" laughed Michael, "To be honest, I often answer to that name as well."

"You don't have to be afraid, dear," said Cheryl cheerfully to the bewildered Kirlia, "Michael is very nice and he's been wanting to meet you since hearing of your and Gremlin's wedding." Gremlin gently held Crystal close and whispered tenderly into her right ear.

"My brother thinks he's a Jynx," said Gremlin bluntly, "He may look unusual, but he means well."

"Oh?" said Crystal, thinking she understood what was going on, "So that is why Michael is dressed like that?"

"Kind of…" whispered Gremlin hesitantly.

"Really?" said Crystal as she stepped towards Michael, "Then this has to be the most elaborate wig I've ever seen." Asmodeus, Gremlin and Cheryl would have tried to stop Crystal, but before anyone could move a muscle, the young Kirlia grabbed onto one of the long locks of hair and tugged at it. Gremlin and his parents were wide-eyed and Crystal absolutely horrified as Michael let out a blood-curdling scream.

"That hair is real! Gaaaah!" yelled Michael as Crystal quickly let go of the soft hair and jumped back to her mate's side, her head hanging low with shame.

"I'm so sorry!" said Crystal, shaking with fear.

"I forgive you," said Michael with a heavy sigh of despair, "That isn't the first time someone has tugged at my hair, thinking it was fake. Sheesh…"

"Maybe I should have been more specific," said Gremlin nervously, "You see, my brother is sort of a half-breed: the body of a Sableye, but he also has the long, silky blonde hair of a Jynx." Michael chuckled with glee.

"My hair is also prehensile, just like that of a Jynx," cackled Michael as his long hair lifted off his shoulders and pointed straight up into the air before he let if fall back down onto his shoulders, "I can do all kinds of things with this hair."

"As for the red gown," explained Cheryl as she came along side her long-haired son, "Michael has worn one practically every day of his life since the day he was born." Michael, with a nervous smile on his face, shrugged his shoulders.

"What can I say?" said Michael with warm laughter, "I rather like it. I don't know why, but it just feels… natural to me."

"Michael… I'm so sorry for hurting you…" said a saddened Crystal. Michael looked at the despairing Kirlia and smiled.

"It's okay, Crystal," said Michael as he stepped towards his sister-in-law, "I said I forgive you. Now, please dry your eyes. Besides, before you grabbed my hair, I was going to say how lovely you look. I've never seen a wedding dress and jewelry as glamorous and stunning as yours."

"Oh, thank you," said Crystal sweetly while Michael looked over his shoulder towards his parents.

"Mom, do you think I can have a dress and jewelry as pretty as Crystal's when I get married?" asked Michael innocently. Nonetheless, Asmodeus, Gremlin and even Cheryl couldn't help but erupt into laughter. Crystal giggled to herself.

"Michael, I don't mean to get your hopes down, but I think the only way you will ever get away with wearing a wedding dress is if you marry a Kirlia," said Crystal with a smile.

"Well…" said Michael sheepishly as he twiddled his thumbs, "Then I don't suppose you have any sisters who are single, still Kirlias and looking for a mate, do you?"

"Now, now, Michael," said Asmodeus softly, "No need to rush into marriage. I'm proud of who you are: never forget that. Your appearance is deceiving: any wise Pokémon or human would know better than to take you on. Your power is immense, plus being a half-breed has given you powers that you normally would not have. Not to mention how adept you've become at ghost arts."

"I'm very proud of you as well, Michael," said Cheryl sweetly, "Just be patient, my son. One day, the right love will come to you." Michael smiled and chuckled with anticipation.

"I think there are plenty of Kirlias who would really like you," said a cheerful Crystal, "Your hair and attire are definitely two of your most prominent features." For a few hours, the five Pokémon stood on the otherwise empty stage and talked with one another. They shared stories and talked about recent events. Crystal was very happy and her fears were altogether gone: Asmodeus, Cheryl and Michael had all made it very apparent that they accepted the young Kirlia into their family and also greatly cared for her. Before any of them realized it, the sun was starting to set and twilight was once again descending upon the massive city of Alakaz. The three Sableyes, Jynx and Kirlia only realized how late into the afternoon it was when K-1 rounded the corner and came walking down the center aisle.

"Everyone, if you will please excuse me for interrupting," said K-1 with a polite bow towards his guests, "It is currently 7:35 in the evening. Dinner is ready and waiting for all of you. Asmodeus, Cheryl and Michael: I figured you would be visiting for most of the day, so me and the R-25s made plenty of food to go around. You should come with me before dinner gets cold."

"Ah! K-1, you already met my folks?" asked a surprised Gremlin.

"Who do you think let them in here?" said K-1 with warm laughter, "Now, please follow me."

"May I ask what is on the menu, K-1?" asked Asmodeus politely.

"New York strip steak, baked potatoes and spiced steamed vegetables, all served with a choice from a few dozen fine wines," replied K-1 with pride, "Dessert is Kona coffee and chocolate mousse with your choice of fruit syrups."

"Sounds absolutely wonderful," said Cheryl happily, "A good meal is just what we need to go with our conversation." Before long, the small group of psychic and ghost Pokémon had gathered together in the small apartment's modest dining room. The R-25 robots acted as waiters to assist the dining guests. It took the better part of an hour for Gremlin, his wife, brother and parents to get through the first course. Between good conversation and a wonderful dinner, there really was no rush.

"So! That is what the red sashes that both of you are wearing mean," remarked Cheryl with amazement, "They are worn only by ballet instructors in the Gardevoir settlements."

"That's right," said Crystal happily, "It took me several years to master the art of ballet and now, I get to teach it."

"I'm not surprised," said Asmodeus with an appreciative nod as he sipped his steaming coffee, "You seem like a hard worker to me, as well as one who would never give up on their dreams."

"Gremlin, where did you learn to dance?" asked a curious Cheryl, "You said you had only been living in Olympus for maybe a year or two before you joined a ballet class there."

"Actually, I learned how to dance right here at the Alakaz Dance Hall," replied Gremlin with a bright smile, "Back when humans were actually performing here, I would spend hours watching them dance every day and every night, learning their techniques and mimicking their movements while hiding in the rafters or in the shadows. Heck, I even swiped some unused dance costumes and modified them to fit my body for more realistic practicing, if you will. I stayed here completely unnoticed for several years before making one of the biggest blunders of my life."

"Is that so?" said Asmodeus, a grin spreading across his face, "Dare I ask what transpired here that fateful day?"

"It's a long story, but to put in all in a nutshell…" started Gremlin, "I decided to join a group of ballerinas on stage who were performing 'Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy' from the 'Nutcracker Suite'. I even had my own ballet dress and slippers, but the moment I jumped on stage, foolishly thinking everyone would just sit back and enjoy my performance with the other dancers, the whole place went into a full-blown panic!" Asmodeus was laughing as he listened to Gremlin's story.

"You really must have cleared the room, huh?" laughed Asmodeus.

"I sure did!" cackled a proud Gremlin, "The whole audience, roughly two-thousand strong, ran screaming out of the building. It only took a few minutes for me to be the only one left in the dance hall. Since that day, no one ever set foot in this building again. They were so afraid, nobody even came back to reclaim the large collection of fancy and lavish dance attire!" Michael and Cheryl couldn't help but laugh as they heard about Gremlin's ill-fated premier.

"That's my boy!" said a smiling Asmodeus, "Your performance may have been an utter failure, but you still managed to scare a few thousand people out of their wits all at once! Well done!"

"Thanks, Dad," said Gremlin happily. It only took a few minutes for everyone at the table to regain their composure. The peace would not last long for Crystal had another question: one she was very hesitant to ask.

"Um… Cheryl?" asked Crystal nervously, "I don't mean any disrespect, but are there really any male Jynx?" The newlywed Kirlia expected that Cheryl would react with hostility at such a bizarre question. Instead, Cheryl merely smiled and started to giggle while her gentle gaze fell on Crystal.

"You may remember that we Jynx are very few in numbers, right?" asked Cheryl with a gentle voice.

"Yes. That's right," replied Crystal, feeling relieved from Cheryl's calm and cheerful demeanor.

"Well, I've heard about male Jynx before, but I don't know anyone who has actually seen one. I don't think a male Pokémon of my species would be any more unusual than a male Gardevoir or Kirlia," explained Cheryl, "Though extremely unlikely, I think Michael is a good example that such a thing could be possible."

"Heh! Don't even get me started on the… 'Elusive' female Mr. Mime!" laughed Asmodeus with the rest of the dinner party soon erupting into laughter as well. The night was moving on and after several more minutes, Asmodeus decided that now was a good time to have a very serious talk with Gremlin and Crystal. The R-25s came into the dining room to clear the table of the many dishes, glasses, goblets and silverware.

"Now that everyone has finished dessert, I think we all had best get down to business," said Asmodeus in a much more serious tone of voice as he turned and fixed his gemstone eyes upon Crystal, "My dear, I need to confirm a few things with you. Do not be afraid, Crystal, just tell me: did Gremlin tell you what was expected of marrying into his family? Did he mention the responsibilities you now have?" Crystal was stunned.

"Um… responsibilities…? Like what?" asked Crystal, nervousness abounding in her otherwise gentle voice. Asmodeus hung his head low and let out a heavy sigh. The next time he looked up, he turned his now very harsh gaze upon his oldest son, Gremlin.

"Confound it all, Gremlin!" snarled Asmodeus, "You let this sweet, loving Kirlia marry you without knowing what she must now deal with and what is expected of her?"

"Must have slipped his mind," said Crystal, her voice ripe with smoldering anger as she glared at her mate, "He actually forgot about our honeymoon, too." Gremlin laughed nervously and adjusted the collar of his shimmering wedding dress, knowing he was now in deep trouble. Asmodeus took a deep breath, letting his anger quickly subside.

"Crystal, I know you love Gremlin deeply," said a now very worried Asmodeus, "You understand that love alone is never enough for a successful marriage, am I right?"

"I understand that," said Crystal fearfully, "I hope I didn't do anything wrong… did I?"

"You've done nothing wrong, my dear," said Asmodeus, "But since Gremlin neglected to inform you of his ancestors' past and what you now must deal with, it looks like now is a good time for a story. Please relax and listen well, Crystal. What I am about to tell you is vital."

"Go ahead, Dad," said Crystal with determination, "I'm ready."

"Well, thank you for calling me 'Dad', my dear," said Asmodeus, smiling at the newlywed Kirlia, "That makes me feel a lot better. So, tell me, Crystal: do you know why Gremlin, Michael and I are much taller than regular Sableyes?" Crystal slowly swiveled her head back and forth in reply.

"Very well," said Asmodeus, "The reason my children and I are much taller and vastly more powerful than our shorter counterparts is because Gremlin, Michael and I are among the last of a rare race of Sableyes. We are known as Old Bloods and we are among the very few direct descendants of an order of royal guards. They served one of the most powerful ghost Pokémon who ever lived, known as Gengar the Great. Most importantly, Gengar was the ruler of a massive city of ghost Pokémon which is rumored to have been built within ten miles of where Alakaz now sits. This city was called Twilight, city of eternal dusk."

"I don't mean to interrupt, Dad," said Crystal hesitantly, "But what ever happened to that great city and why are there so few Sableyes left like you and your two sons?"

"I don't mind questions, my dear," said Asmodeus with a gentle tone of voice, "If fact, I was just about to get to that. You see, over 2,000 years ago, the murderous army known as the Blight besieged Twilight. Are you familiar with the Blight?"

"I've heard a lot about the Blight," said Crystal with a scowl on her face, "They were responsible for slaughtering millions of Pokémon and humans alike. In fact, they almost wiped out the entire royal family of Olympus in one day during the final battle of the Great Pokémon Wars."

"You know your history," remarked Asmodeus, "Very good, Crystal. Anyway, a few years before the final battle of the Pokémon Wars, the Blight, led by their murderous leader, a Kabutops known as Heavy Claw, managed to lay siege to Twilight. Heavy Claw intended to capture the many artifacts that Gengar the Great, as well as a multitude of alchemists and other artisans, had created over the centuries. Instead, Gengar hid the artifacts throughout the city in places the Blight would never find them or think to look. Sadly, Gengar would later be slain when the city walls were breached and the marauding army overran Twilight. Gremlin, Michael and my ancestors were Gengar's personal guards, known as The Order of Twining Shadows. They fought to the bitter end in a battle they had no real chance of winning. In the end, many of them fell to a beast wielding the legendary Black Pendant. In a brave, yet desperate move, the remaining members of the Order of Twining Shadows helped the surviving residents of the great city escape to safety by clearing a path through the enemy ranks. Sadly, even Gengar the Great was no match against the creature and was subsequently killed. For days, the Blight plundered the city, but they found very little that was of use or value. However, the Blight were not quite finished with the city of Twilight."

"But I thought ghost Pokémon could live forever and were impossible to kill," said Crystal with bewilderment.

"It is true that ghost Pokémon can practically live forever, but our kind can still be killed," said Asmodeus with a heavy sigh, "After discovering that his attack had yielded nothing, Heavy Claw came up with a new strategy to make an example of the city of eternal dusk. Since his plan to wipe out the inhabitants had failed, Heavy Claw decided to destroy the entire city so it could never again be settled or easily rebuilt. Fortunately, the city of Twilight was now completely abandoned by its former inhabitants. Though the grand city had been built on solid bedrock, Twilight sank into the desert sands for an unnatural earthquake, which had been created by several members of the Blight focusing their great powers together. As for the Order of the Twining Shadows, the few remaining members split up after making sure the survivors of Twilight were safe. To this day, the Order of the Twining Shadows still exists, but I fear that Gremlin, Michael, Cheryl and I may be the last of this ancient order. Our job now is to master the many arts which were thought to have been lost with Twilight, such as Ghost Forme, which is a combination of a language of runic symbols and alchemy, which can be used for various purposes. For example, the wedding rings which you, Crystal and Gremlin now wear, link your life forces together and the rings cannot be removed for any reason. They are the result of Ghost Forme. There is a menagerie of things Ghost Forme can do. Apparently, Gengar the Great used Ghost Forme himself to craft many of the artifacts that Heavy Claw and the Blight had tried so desperately to acquire."

"So, what is expected of me now that I am part of your family, Dad?" asked Crystal. Asmodeus merely smiled at Crystal and spoke with a gentle voice once again.

"First, do you have something on you which will keep you from evolving into a Gardevoir?" asked Asmodeus.

"I do!" replied Crystal enthusiastically, "This diamond pendant was given to me by Gremlin before our wedding. There is a small shard of an Everstone hidden behind the large gemstone."

"Ah!" said Asmodeus as he leaned over the table to get a closer look at Crystal's pendant, "I see runes on the gold surrounding the diamond… looks like they create a strong, unseen force to keep the pendant around your neck at all times."

"Right as usual, Dad," cackled Gremlin.

"Well, I'm glad to see that you thought of just about everything, Gremlin," said Asmodeus proudly, "As for you, Crystal: your responsibilities are not too difficult."

"First," said Cheryl with a friendly smile, "You and Gremlin are expected to have offspring in order to continue the bloodline of our family. Crystal, I am aware that your species has a tradition in which married couples wait until their tenth wedding anniversary before having children. Just enjoy being married until then. I am more than willing to wait to see my grandchildren." Crystal smiled, blushing and giggling. The thought of being a mother was very appealing.

"Second, it is up to Gremlin to teach you how to use Ghost Forme and other ancient arts for the purpose of defense," explained Asmodeus, "There are Pokémon out there who would love to wipe out what remains of our order. Even today, there are rumors going around that the Blight is yet again on the move. Their numbers are few these days and even after suffering a hideous defeat in the final Pokémon Wars battle, they continued on."

"I understand," said Crystal confidently.

"Wait a moment," said Gremlin as he stood up on his chair, "Father, are you sure there are no others of our kind left? What about grandpa and the rest of our extended family?"

"Gremlin, to be completely honest, I haven't heard from our other family members in decades. That is one reason why I sent you out on your own so early: just in case there really were Pokémon out there who were hunting down our family," said Asmodeus with dread, "My worst fears may be coming true. Gremlin, I have something else to tell you. It's very important." Gremlin nodded his head.

"I'm all ears," said Gremlin softly. Asmodeus cleared his throat and fixed his gaze on Gremlin.

"A few weeks ago, Cheryl, Michael and I came back to our home in the Gardev Forests to the north. The entire cottage and everything in it had been burned to the ground," said Asmodeus.

"Who would have done such a thing?" said a horrified Crystal.

"I'm not sure, but this I do know," said Asmodeus, "There were Kabutops tracks everywhere about the ruins of our home."

"You could have contacted me and told me you had lost your home," said Gremlin with sadness, "I'm sure I would have been able to help you, Mom and Michael."

"Maybe, maybe not," said Asmodeus, "The fact that our home was destroyed and I have been unable to contact anyone in our family for several years is troubling, nonetheless. Gremlin, Crystal: I don't mean to be an alarmist, but you both may be in danger."

"We're going to be on our way soon," said Cheryl with grief, "We have to find another home… somewhere…"

"Gremlin!" said Crystal with renewed enthusiasm, "I have an idea." Gremlin glanced at his wife.

"Well, please tell me," said Gremlin with a smile.

"Why don't we have our parents and Michael move to Olympus? I can't imagine a safer place than that," suggested Crystal. Asmodeus scratched his chin a few times.

"Would we be welcome in the Gardevoir city?" asked Asmodeus.

"I think so," said Crystal confidently, "King Glacian and Queen Gloria are very compassionate and understanding. I can't imagine them turning you away. Besides, Gremlin and I know them."

"So," said Asmodeus with a grin, "My son and his wife know a real king and queen… then I guess we would be welcomed."

"We should get going, dear," said Cheryl with concern, "Just getting out of Alakaz unnoticed is going to be difficult."

"I agree," said Asmodeus as he returned his gaze to Gremlin and Crystal, "Gremlin, Crystal: my dear son and daughter, I recommend that you be very careful and not linger in Alakaz long. If you feel safe here, I have no objections to you spending the rest of your honeymoon here. Nonetheless, you should return home immediately afterwards. I know K-1 and the other robots will protect you, but if the Blight really is hunting down what's left of our family, then you will be no match against them. I wish you both safety and happiness in the days ahead." With that, the five Pokémon stood up from the table and began to exchange hugs and goodbyes.

"Take good care, bro," said Michael, shaking his brother's hand a few times while Cheryl lovingly embraced Crystal.

"Best wishes to you, dear," said Cheryl sweetly. While Gremlin and Asmodeus said their goodbyes, Crystal told Cheryl where she and Gremlin lived in Olympus. Just as Asmodeus, Cheryl and Michael were about to set foot into the hallway and begin their trek out of the dance hall, Gremlin called to his father.

"Asmodeus, can I please speak with you?" asked Gremlin, "Alone?" Asmodeus turned towards his wife and younger son.

"Please wait in the hallway for me," asked Asmodeus.

"Crystal, I'll see you in our bedroom, okay?" requested Gremlin with a bright smile. Crystal giggled while she walked up to Gremlin and quickly kissed him on his lips.

"I'll be waiting," said Crystal, blushing with a blissful smile on her face as she took one last look at her new family members, "Asmodeus, Cheryl and Michael: please be safe out there and I hope we see each other again soon." Once Crystal was in the bedroom and while Cheryl and Michael waited in a nearby hallway, Gremlin spoke quietly with his father.

"Do you really think Crystal and I are in danger?" asked a worried Gremlin, "Do you think we should leave here at once?"

"I'm glad to see how much you love and care for your wife," said Asmodeus, smiling at his son, "I think you and Crystal will be fine here, so long as you do not tarry for long."

"We'll be careful," said Gremlin, "I promise."

"Good," said Asmodeus with joy as he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his son, "Enjoy your honeymoon, my son. Congratulations to you on your marriage."

"Thanks, Dad," said Gremlin softly. As Asmodeus let go of his son and started on his way back to his family, Gremlin had to ask his father one last question.

"Dad…?" asked Gremlin with great hesitation, "What makes you think my wife and I might be in jeopardy?" Asmodeus stopped in his tracks and slowly turned to face his son. The old Sableye took a deep breath.

"Because I sensed something… like an omen as my family and I entered this old theater earlier this afternoon," said Asmodeus, "You mentioned you have a Kabutops as a dear friend. What was his name… Simon?" Gremlin nodded his head.

"You had best speak with him about the Blight," warned Asmodeus, "I've heard of him. Some Pokémon have called him the Hunted One. I have also heard rumors about a small surviving group of the Blight planning something huge in the Gardev Region. Keep your wife close and keep her safe, Gremlin. Lay low and if you have any reason to believe you, Crystal or your robotic friends are in danger, than leave Alakaz at once. Goodbye, my son. I love you and please be on the lookout." Once Asmodeus, Cheryl and Michael were on their way, Gremlin made sure that every door and window in the theater was locked before heading to his bedroom for the night. When he opened the door, he saw Crystal: wearing her beautiful wedding attire and lying on the bed with a blissful smile on her face. The young Kirlia giggled and motioned with her right hand for Gremlin to come closer.

"Hello, honey," said Crystal sweetly, "Care to lie down with me?" Gremlin locked the bedroom door and walked towards his delighted wife. Crystal sat up in bed, wondering why her husband seemed to be so worried.

"Is something wrong, dear?" asked a worried Crystal.

"I'm… I'm just worried about what might happen if we have to fend off a bunch of murderous Pokémon," admitted Gremlin, "I wonder if we really should stay here."

"Come on, dear," said Crystal, a bright smile on her face as she stroked her husband's side of the bed, "I don't feel like we're in any danger. I am a psychic Pokémon, remember?"

"I remember," said Gremlin as he sat down on the bed. Crystal giggled as she came up behind her mate and tightly wrapped her arms around her handsome Sableye.

"Gremlin, I feel completely safe around you," whispered Crystal, "I love you and I know you would never let anything bad happen to me. Don't forget, I can protect you as well. I love you…" Gremlin looked over his left shoulder and took a nice long gaze at his beautiful wife. He slowly turned about and lay down next to Crystal: coming face to face with her as they wrapped their arms around each other in a passionate embrace.

"I love you, too… my lovely ballerina princess…" said Gremlin with a tender voice just before he and Crystal kissed once again. Gremlin found himself comforted by his wife's gentle words and her very presence. He now knew both he and Crystal would indeed have a good night's sleep and have yet another day and night to enjoy together. Still, he couldn't help but wonder what awaited them in the coming days.


	3. Section 3

**-136A-**

The next morning in Alakaz was as calm and sunny as the previous. After another delightful breakfast prepared by K-1 and his small robotic army, Gremlin and Crystal decided to spend the next few hours just dancing together on the large and open stage. The newlyweds couldn't help but admire each other as they waltzed in their beautiful wedding attire. By 11:17 AM, Gremlin and Crystal finally decided to take a break. They took a seat, side by side on a wooden bench located against the stage's back wall and sipped from glasses of cool ice water. Gremlin smiled as he wrapped his left arm around Crystal's waist.

"That was so much fun, dear," giggled Crystal with glee, "I only wish we could dance together every day."

"Who says we can't?" said Gremlin, flashing his young wife a big, toothy grin. Crystal couldn't help but laugh.

"This is only our forth day together as mates," said a happy and excited Crystal, blushing slightly while she stared at Gremlin, "I can only imagine what might happen next."

"Well, I can promise you this much:" said Gremlin sweetly, "I will do everything in my power to make our honeymoon unforgettable." Crystal smiled and leaned against her mate.

"And what about the days after our honeymoon?" she asked with a twinkle in her eye.

"We'll just take them one at a time," replied Gremlin happily, "After all, we are ballet instructors. Teaching couples always get to work together in the same class."

"I'm looking forward to being a teacher," said Crystal softly as she looked deep into Gremlin's glistening eyes, "And, someday, a mother…" The Sableye and Kirlia closed their eyes and leaned towards each other, ready to enjoy another long, passionate kiss. The newlyweds jumped to their feet in shock when they heard K-1 yelling angrily from the roof. Gremlin glanced at Crystal, who took a few deep breaths to regain her composure.

"What do you think that was all about?" asked a perplexed Gremlin. Crystal merely looked at her husband with a frown on her face while she shook her head back and forth in reply. Gremlin gently held onto Crystal's right hand and led her off stage, up the center aisle and through the hallways to get to the dance hall's roof. Once there, Gremlin pushed open the door and stepped onto the roof with his wife. The newlyweds had to shield their eyes momentarily because of the bright sun overhead and before Gremlin's eyes had adjusted, he heard Crystal let out a bloodcurdling scream. Once the Sableye could see clearly, he completely understood why his lover was so horrified. Before the newlyweds stood K-1, a mechanical arm extended from his chest compartment, manning a push broom and tending to the small piles of Pidgeys and Spearows that had somehow accumulated on the rooftop overnight and during the morning hours.

"Wow! What on earth happened up here, K-1?" demanded a deeply perplexed and now rather worried Gremlin, "Where did all these birds come from?"

"Are they… are they… dead, K-1…?" stammered Crystal with fright. K-1 let out a heavy sigh, pushing the downed birds into one large pile before laying the broom against one of the invisible outside walls of the S-5 heavy carrier.

"You don't have to worry, Crystal;" said K-1 reassuringly, turning his gentle blue eyes upon the alarmed Kirlia, "Dead: No. Unconscious or comatose: Yes."

"How could this have happened?" asked an astonished Gremlin, "There must be over one hundred of these poor birds up here. What do you think is going on here, K-1?"

"To be honest, I have absolutely no idea," replied a thoroughly frustrated K-1, "All I know is that these Pidgeys and Spearows started showing up sometime during the night. I don't know why, but they keep crashing into the cloaked carrier. To make matters worse, more and more keep coming! If I didn't know any better, I'd say these neurotic birds are playing some sort of stupid game!" K-1 would never know just how correct his suspicions were, for off in the distance, several blocks away, several dozen Pidgeys were roosting on the edge of another old building. They were talking amongst each other and keeping their keen eyes focused on the dance hall. They could easily make out what was transpiring on the roof of the old building.

"Well, so much for Frank," said one male Pidgey with a sigh.

"Has anyone else gotten the feeling that this is a bad idea?" asked another male Pidgey with ever-growing concern, "Every single one of our friends who has tried to get through that 'Invisible Wall' has failed miserably! Now that strange metal-headed cat has them in his clutches!"

"What are ya, chicken?" laughed the first male Pidgey with great confidence, "One of us is bound to get through that invisible wall sooner or later."

"Besides…" whispered a third male Pidgey with excitement to his cohorts, "This could be a great opportunity to impress the ladies." The second male Pidgey looked over his left shoulder to gaze upon the dozens of female Pidgeys who had gathered to watch the 'Festivities'. The first male Pidgey eyed the roof of the dance hall and snorted with contempt.

"I bet I can make it through there!" declared the Pidgey with no lack of determination and arrogance.

"Oh! Do be carful," said a concerned female Pidgey.

"Not to worry, fair maiden," said the first male Pidgey, putting his left wing over the worried female Pidgey, "I'll come back just fine and when I do, how about we make a nest together?"

"Ooh! I love it!" giggled the avian female with glee, "Okay. Just be careful out there."

"This will be easier than stealing popcorn from a baby," laughed the male Pidgey as he spread his wings, "Just stay put. I'll be back in a flash!" Before the second Pidgey could utter a single word of caution, the overconfident comrade took to the air and made a beeline towards the dance hall's large roof at top speed. Meanwhile, with the knocked-out birds in a neat pile, K-1 was handing whicker bushel baskets out to Gremlin and Crystal.

"Thanks for agreeing to help me, you two," said K-1 a grateful with relief, "Once we get them down to the ground floor it should be quite easy to wake them up."

"And how will you wake them up?" asked Crystal with curiosity.

"A good splash of cold water or a loud explosion should do the trick," said K-1 as Crystal looked at K-1 as if he was insane.

"And your databanks suggest setting off a bomb in the middle of a city while we are supposed to not draw any attention to ourselves is a good idea?" asked Crystal with stark disbelief.

"As a matter of fact, no," replied K-1, "A concussion grenade would still be our best bet at waking up these birds if water does not do the trick. Believe me Crystal: I'm really hoping we won't have to resort to explosives…"

"Well, I guess we'd better gather up these Pidgeys and Spearows before more show up," suggested Gremlin. No sooner did the two newlyweds and robot start to gather up the unconscious bird Pokémon when they all heard something collide with the S-5. A loud, metallic "Smack!" echoed down the streets, followed shortly by yet another soft "Thud!"

"That would be the 109th Pidgey this morning…" grumbled K-1. Off in the distance, the fallen Pidgey's friends could only watch in horror as their comrade was also collected by the metal cat.

"Well, so much for him," said one Pidgey with a heavy sigh while shrugging his shoulders.

"Do you suppose that metallic feline is going to make soup from our friends?" asked another Pidgey. The dozens of other bird Pokémon around him shuddered at the idea.

"So!" said another Pidgey with anger very evident in his voice, "Are there any other knuckleheads who want to take on the invisible wall and then get devoured by that cat-like monster?" Not one bird roosting on the roof said a word. It only took about half an hour for all the knocked-out Pidgeys and Spearows to be taken downstairs and out into the thoroughly cracked parking lot for release. Fortunately, a good blast of cold water from a garden hose was all it took to revive the group of birds. As soon as they were awakened, they started squawking noisily while they flew away: oddly enough, Crystal and Gremlin had no idea what the assorted Pidgeys and Spearows were saying whilst they hastily took to the sky.

"Do you think they were thanking us?" asked a curious Crystal.

"What they said…" started K-1 as he then took a deep breath, "I would not dare repeat…"

"I just hope those little morons stay the heck away from this place for the rest of the day," said an annoyed Gremlin. As K-1 rotated his head to face the front doors of the dance hall, a very large pile bleached paper and plastic bags caught his eye.

"And what have we here?" said K-1 as he approached the odd pile of refuse with Gremlin and Crystal following close behind. K-1 extended one of his metallic arms from his chest compartment to pick up one of the objects. While taking a closer look, he noticed some words written on the old paper.

"Hmmmm… Alakaz Gazette?" said K-1, moments before his databanks had an answer to this riddle, "Oh! These must be some old newspapers!" Gremlin quietly laughed to himself as he walked up beside an enthusiastic K-1.

"Looks like these old things have been piling up for a long time," cackled Gremlin, "Well, the theater's previous owner did boast about how he'd paid up his Alakaz Gazette subscription for 80 years. Even after all these years, someone has continued to deliver these newspapers to this very address." K-1 carefully dug through the old newsprint, astonished to find that every last newspaper has been well sealed inside a thick plastic bag: all the old papers, though many of them were bleached, were still practically intact and readable.

"It appears that I have something to do now to help pass the time," said K-1 with glee, "I think it will only take me a few hours to process all of this printed data."

"How old are these newspapers, anyway?" asked a baffled Crystal.

"The years seem to go from 2014, all the way back to 1976," remarked K-1 with amazement as he continued to dig through the large lump of preserved newsprint, "At least that's the oldest date I can find in here for now."

"So, what shall we do next, Gremlin?" asked Crystal sweetly.

"I say we get some lunch and go back to dancing, or just talk until dinner time," suggested Gremlin, "We'll also need to figure out what to do for lunch."

"Ask the R-25's," said K-1 as he extended more metal arms and hands from his chest, "They can prepare all kinds of dishes. In the meantime, I'm going to bring these newspapers inside and start gleaning through them. It should be interesting to see what kinds of events happened here in the last 40 or so years." With that, Gremlin and Crystal started on their way back to the apartment on the top floor of the old dance hall. Once K-1 had managed to drag the newspapers into the building, he closed and locked all of the doors. He eagerly tore through one plastic bag after another. Thanks to his powerful optical sensors, intricate limbs and processors, he was able to read through dozens of newspapers in a matter of minutes. For Crystal and Gremlin, they got to dine on a light lunch of delightful vegetable soup with fresh, homemade bread. After lunch, the newlyweds made their way back downstairs to take advantage of having the open stage all to themselves for another afternoon. Still, after an hour of waltzing together, Crystal was starting to get a bit bored of dancing and more curious of Gremlin's past.

"So, when did you first come to this place?" asked Crystal softly as she and Gremlin again sat down on a nearby bench to take a short rest and sip from glasses of iced water.

"Ah! So you would like to know about how I came to live here?" said Gremlin happily to his smiling wife. Crystal held Gremlin's left hand and nodded her head in reply.

"Well, it all began when I was born in the Gardev Forests," started Gremlin, "Sadly, as Asmodeus told us; the cottage where I was born was burned to the ground not long ago. Anyway, my mother and father taught me about the world and how to make the most of my powers and when to use them. When I turned 18, Asmodeus said it was time for me to head out into the world. We both knew I was ready. So, I left home and wandered about the Gardev Forests for a few years, looking for a place I could call home. Lo and behold, I eventually came across an old cabin, roughly 140 miles north of Alakaz."

"So, that was the first home you had to yourself?" asked Crystal sweetly. Gremlin cackled softly.

"Actually, there were already a few others calling the otherwise-abandoned cabin home," replied Gremlin. He paused for moment, stroking his chin with his left hand a few times.

"Well?" asked Crystal sweetly, "What happened next?" Gremlin glanced over at his smiling wife with a twinkle in his eye.

"Maybe it would be easier to explain my little story if I just show you what happened," said Gremlin softly, "Just close your eyes and relax, my dear."

"And how much is this going to hurt?" asked Crystal with a smirk. Gremlin couldn't help but chuckle at his wife's comment.

"This won't hurt at all," said a cheerful Gremlin, tenderly holding onto his mate's hands, "Now, please sit back, enjoy the show and remember: no active cell phones or pagers are allowed in the theater." Crystal giggled, smiling as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Before the young Kirlia could utter another word, she seemed to find herself in a world of nothing but endless bright white light. The intense illumination slowly began to fade as Crystal rubbed her eyes: her vision soon coming back into focus. The young Kirlia gasped with amazement and looked around in awe, finding herself standing in front of a wooden cabin in the middle of a dense alpine forest. Roughly 30 feet away, standing at the front door of the cabin was a familiar Sableye. His right hand was grasping the doorknob, but for some reason, the Sableye didn't move a muscle. He stood frozen in his action, just like everything else in the forest. A tranquil, yet eerie silence abounded in the woods. Suddenly, Crystal heard Gremlin's soft voice in her mind.

"This is where my adventure really began," explained Gremlin cheerfully, "And you will be the first to ever feel like you are right there with me." Crystal was not sure what was happening now, but she now felt rather strange. Crystal felt like she was floating in the air and towards the cabin. The young Kirlia was absolutely astounded as her body seemed to merge and disappear in the frozen figure of Gremlin. Crystal was now experiencing everything that her husband had so many years ago. Gremlin gently pulled on the rusted doorknob and the door loudly creaked open on its rusted hinges, revealing a spacious dark room. The few pieces of furniture in the wooden domicile seemed to be covered in cobwebs and caked with dust. Strangely, everything seemed to be intact: no peeling paint, no torn cushions or curtains nor did any of the other furnishings seem to have any noticeable damage. Gremlin smiled and cackled to himself as he stepped into the cabin, closing the door in his wake.

"Looks like no one has been here in ages," thought Gremlin happily, "This is perfect! I should be able to live here quite nicely and considering how much this place needs to be cleaned up, I can only assume this place was abandoned years ago. Plus, being almost fifty miles from the nearest road or settlement means I shouldn't have to deal with any humans. Well, not until I'm absolutely ready to face any of them." Without another word, Gremlin stepped inside the cabin. The Sableye suddenly stopped in his tracks: something about the inside of the cabin was strange, but Gremlin just couldn't seem to put his finger on it. Moments later, the front door and all the windows' shutters slammed themselves shut, plunging the interior of the cabin into darkness. Gremlin heard what sounded like gentle laughter coming from all directions. However, as time passed, the happy sound of laughter degenerated into echoing, maniacal laughter. Gremlin froze as a hideous voice spoke from below.

"How dare you disturb my slumber, you fool! You will leave this place at once!" demanded the unseen horror, "Or else, you will meet a most terrible fate!" Gremlin merely smiled and cackled as the horrid voice again broke into nightmarish laughter. Somehow, the Sableye knew exactly what was going on about him.

"Let's see… if I was a Ghost-type Pokémon, trying to scare someone… where would I hide?" said Gremlin to himself as electricity began to arc around his right hand. The Sableye was ready to unleash a Thunderpunch without hesitation.

"Come out, come out, whatever you are…" said Gremlin, cackling under his breath, "If you know what's good for you."

"You think this is a joke, do you?" thundered the voice with burning anger, "Well, we'll see about that! Prepare to meet your doom, you mindless oaf!" Gremlin took ten steps forward and wound up to land a devastating blow to an invisible target.

"You know, you really are doing a great job in your attempt to scare me," laughed Gremlin, "However, you overlooked some key points in your strategy. Rule #1: You should know better than to try and freak out a fellow ghost!" Gremlin let his fist fly forward with all his might, colliding with an unseen figure.

"OUCH!" screamed a dry, raspy voice with pain and indignation as electricity arched all about its body. The unnatural darkness vanished in an instant, replaced with dim light, streaming in through gaps between the window shutters and underneath the cabin's front door. The grinning Sableye now found himself face to face with one very angry Ghastly.

"Rule #2," said Gremlin matter-of-factly with a big grin on his face, "You should never be too close to your target; otherwise, your quarry may sense you and attack without hesitation."

"Hrmph!" snapped the Ghastly, "I was pretty certain you would be as easy to wig out as the humans who keep trying to enter this old forest or wind up bumbling into this cabin!" Gremlin managed to stifle his laughter. The Sableye just could not imagine why a ghost would try and scare another ghost. Such a move simply did not make any sense at all.

"Your powers are quite great, but you seem to have a considerable lack of intelligence and wisdom," said Gremlin, crossing his arms in front of his chest, "No offense."

"I guess you could say that," said the Ghastly with a sigh, "My great-grandfather left me in charge of protecting this area of the forest about three years ago to keep out intruders. My duty is to protect these woods from humans and suspicious Pokémon."

"Suspicious Pokémon, eh?" asked a bewildered Gremlin with a raised eyebrow, "What made you think I was suspicious? Do I have a sign slapped on my face that reads 'Trouble-maker'?"

"No, but… well, just look at you," replied the Ghastly, "You're a Dark/Ghost Type Pokémon and you're out wandering about the woods in the middle of the day. I've never heard of a ghost who did not mind being out in the sun!"

"And that is what made me suspicious?" said Gremlin, rather confused at the Ghastly's logic.

"Yes, that's what I figured," answered the Ghastly bluntly. Gremlin eyed the ghastly with a look of pity.

"You're… quite young, aren't you?" asked Gremlin.

"Yeah…" was the Ghastly's hesitant reply.

"Well, I'm looking for a place to stay for awhile. I don't really have a home right now;" said Gremlin in a more friendly tone of voice, "Tell you what: if you'll let me stay here, I can help you get stronger and certainly a lot wiser." The Ghastly suddenly seemed much more irritated than before.

"I didn't mean any disrespect," said Gremlin reassuringly, "By the way, my name is Gremlin."

"I'm Joe," said the Ghastly with a huff, "Well, you are right: I could stand to learn a thing or two, but letting you stay here is not up to me. You'll have to ask the guy in charge."

"And who might that be?" queried Gremlin. The Sableye suddenly froze, not moving a muscle when he began to hear a series of heavy footsteps from behind. A short time later, Gremlin heard the cabin door open and then close a few moments later.

"I think Joe is referring to me," said a deep, yet friendly voice from behind Gremlin, "I hope you don't mind, but I did overhear much of your conversation." The startled Sableye turned around fast: the only things he could see before him were a pair of green, lizard-like legs with clawed feet. Gremlin slowly turned his gaze skyward, soon realizing that a huge Sceptile was now overshadowing him.

"Hmmm… so, who is our guest, Joe?" asked the curious Sceptile.

"His name is Gremlin," answered Joe with a smile, "He's offered to help train me, well… so long as he can stay in our cabin, anyway." The towering forest Pokemon carefully knelt down, not wanting to make the cabin tremble from his weight as he took a closer look at Gremlin.

"Hmmm… very intriguing…" remarked the amazed Sceptile, "You're rather tall for a Sableye."

"Well, yeah… others often say that the first time they meet me…" said Gremlin nervously, "So, who might you be?"

"Oh! How rude of me," said the Sceptile sheepishly as he held out his right hand towards the vexed Sableye, "The name's Grover. It's very nice to meet you, Gremlin."

"Likewise," said Gremlin, eagerly shaking the Sceptile's hand, no longer feeling nervous or worried.

"As far as I'm concerned, you are more than welcome to stay. You can reside here as long as you like, especially since you are so eager to help Joe improve," said Grover, looking Gremlin over closely, "Besides, I could really use more help in keeping this part of the forest safe. You don't look like you're going to give us any trouble."

"That's a first," said Gremlin with a raised eyebrow, "Someone saying a ghost Pokémon doesn't look like trouble."

"Let's just say I'm excellent judge of character," said Grover with gentle and warm laughter, "I have to be, considering the duties I must uphold." Gremlin nodded his head appreciatively.

"I take it you are the local guardian?" asked Gremlin.

"Indeed I am," replied Grover, "I protect these woods from fire, floods and other forms of devastation. Perhaps you've noticed how this cabin resides conveniently at the center of an old-growth forest? This place is absolutely pristine and home to many species of Pokémon who dwell in these woods without fear. However, there have been a lot of humans wandering this forest as of late. In fact, I've heard rumors that some of them desire to harvest these thick, old trees for lumber! Worst of all, they would go so far as to clear-cut the forest for miles and miles around. If that were to happen, the entire ecosystem here would be severely altered for centuries, maybe longer. Worst of all, almost all of the Pokémon here would lose their homes."

"Sounds like you and Joe really have your hands full out here!" remarked an astounded Gremlin, "Is there anything I can do to help?" Grover nodded his head in reply.

"Why, just work hard to get Joe better trained so he will one day be able to handle keeping humans and any trained Pokémon out of these woods. For now, you should help him scare off the occasional intruders," explained Grover cheerfully, "So long as the humans stay out, we won't have to worry about Pokémon hunters, trainers or developers staking a claim out here. Meanwhile, I can continue to monitor the condition of the forest without interruption, to make sure it stays healthy."

"I'll be more than happy to help you guys," said Gremlin with great enthusiasm, "Especially if I get to experiment with my powers on a bunch of goons!"

"Excellent, but do not be overconfident, my friend," warned Grover sternly, "You do seem quite powerful indeed, but even a experienced Sableye like you would have a hard time defeating, let alone escaping a Pokémon hunter."

"I'll be careful," promised Gremlin, "And I'll do my best to help you and Joe, as well as keep him safe."

"Hey! I don't need a babysitter!" complained Joe.

"Yet you still thought it was a great idea to try scaring a fellow ghost Pokémon, didn't you?" said Grover, chuckling warmly. Gremlin laughed as the entire room seemed to fade into darkness. Before long, nothing could be seen or heard and soon, Crystal again heard Gremlin's voice in her mind.

"The first few months I spent with Joe and Grover were great and we became good friends rather quickly. The days were both very quiet and peaceful. Over time, Joe was becoming stronger both physically and mentally while under my guidance. Meanwhile, Grover would keep close vigil over the surrounding dense and beautiful forests day and night," said Gremlin happily with a soft voice, "I can't remember how many years we spent together, but under my watchful eye, Joe eventually became a Haunter. Our combined might was more than enough to keep the forest clear of humans or their trained Pokémon, sent into the woods as scouts. Why, I even joined Grover and Joe in becoming good friends with a large tribe of Gardevoirs, who lived a few miles away from the cabin and called the old forest home." Crystal felt like she was floating in the middle of a black, inky void. The young Kirlia was not scared, knowing she was in the care of her loving mate. In fact, she couldn't help but want to know more about Gremlin.

"So when did you wind up in Alakaz, my love?" asked Crystal with a sweet and tender tone of voice.

"Ah!" said Gremlin from somewhere in the darkness, "I was just getting to that. Observe, my dear." The black void was instantly consumed by a flash of bright light. The intense illumination quickly vanished, revealing the interior of the quaint cabin once again. It was the middle of the night and all was quiet. Gremlin and Joe sat motionless as on a soft rug in the middle of the small, one-roomed building with their eyes closed. A few lit candles placed here and there provided dim light throughout the cabin as the two Ghost-Type Pokémon concentrated their power, hoping they could find any intruders well before they wandered into the old woods using their unusual abilities. Bizarre powers which generally were not understood by man and Pokémon alike. Only a question from the young Haunter broke the silence.

"Gremlin?" asked Joe quietly, "Do you sense anything out there?"

"Nope. I don't think there's anyone suspicious out there tonight," said Gremlin as a smile crept across his face, "Still, I wouldn't be surprised if we don't have any more unwanted visitors for a few weeks after we gave those two trainers the full treatment a few days ago." Joe laughed and opened his eyes.

"I didn't know teenage, male humans could scream like scared little girls," cackled a cheerful Joe.

"Well, now you know!" laughed Gremlin happily. Gremlin suddenly opened his eyes, hearing the low, rumbling thunder from a distant lightning strike. Something was bothering the two friends for Grover had never been this late returning home and Gremlin could only figure that the last several months, which had been bone dry, now had the sage Sceptile on edge.

"I sure hope we don't have to deal with another wildfire," said Joe with a heavy sigh.

"You and me both," said Gremlin nervously, "It took us days to take care of the forest fire we had five years ago and that was just a small, slow-moving fire. Even then, the forest wasn't nearly as tinder dry as it is this year." Gremlin stood up and leaned back while holding his arms out to his sides, stretching after sitting still on the floor for several hours.

"The sun is going to rise in a few hours," said Gremlin, glancing at the young Haunter, "Are you ready to try staying out during the day again?"

"You bet I am!" said Joe with enthusiasm, "I'm sure I'll be able to handle being in direct sunlight this time!"

"So you'll make sure not to hide under the bed or floor boards this time the moment you see the sun?" asked Gremlin with a smirk. Joe sighed and laughed quietly to himself.

"I'm going to get this right sooner or later," said Joe, "Still, it sure isn't easy to fight instinct. I mean, whoever heard of a ghost who loved bright light?"

"Doesn't bother me," said Gremlin with a shrug of his shoulders, trying to reassure his friend, "Besides, I think you'll do fine tomorrow morning. You've only been trying to withstand being in sunshine for the last decade." Another distant, low rumble of thunder quickly grabbed Gremlin and Joe's undivided attention.

"Well, Joe: do you think you can keep an eye on the forest while I try to find Grover?" asked Gremlin.

"Don't you remember what Grover has told us time and time again?" said Joe hesitantly, "He wants us to stay here and use our powers to detect and repel any intruders that we find."

"You'll be fine," reassured Gremlin confidently, "Besides, I'm only going to be out for about ten minutes and I'm going to stay quite close to the cabin. If you sense any humans approaching and you think you need some help: please, just holler for me and I'll be right with you. Okay?"

"Alright, Gremlin," said Joe with a sigh, "Just don't wander off too far." Gremlin nodded his head and then made his way out of the cabin, closing the door in his wake. The moment the Sableye was outside, a bright flash and a loud "Boom!" from up above startled Gremlin. He took a few deep breaths to regain his composure and to steady his racing heart. Gremlin may not have been afraid of lighting, but he had taken a direct hit when he was caught outside during a thunderstorm many years ago and he certainly did not want to relive the experience. The Sableye started walking into the woods: his keen eyes easily making out all the shapes and obstacles in his path. He had barely gone thirty yards away from the cabin when suddenly, a familiar voice from somewhere up above in the darkened trees made Gremlin freeze in his tracks.

"Gremlin… I thought I told you to stay in the cabin," said Grover with disappointment from up in the dark, forest canopy.

"Oh… sorry," said Gremlin with his head hung low, "Joe and I were worried about you since you didn't come home earlier."

"I see," said Grover from somewhere up in the trees, "How about you climb up here? I've been meaning to talk with you about something important for quite a while."

"Okay…" said Gremlin as he looked up towards the sky and then left and right nervously, not able to see the Sceptile up in the darkened canopy, "But… which tree are you in?"

"The one right behind you, my friend," replied Grover with amusement, "Please. Come join me." Gremlin turned around, dug his claws into the tough bark and quickly scaled the tall tree. He looked down only after he had reached the spot where Grover was waiting, figuring he was now at least 300 feet above the ground. Grover was standing on a branch just twenty feet from the very top, leaning against the narrow trunk as he stared off towards the dark horizon. An occasional flash of lightning would light up sections of the sprawling forest for only very brief moments. Grover yawned, sitting down on his branch.

"Please, have a seat and relax," asked Grover calmly, pointing at a close by branch with his right hand. Gremlin said nothing as he instead stood on a branch near the Sceptile and then proceeded to lean against the tree trunk. A gentle wind was blowing through the forest.

"Sheesh…" said an annoyed Gremlin, surveying the dark skies, "With all this lightning, you think we would at least have gotten some drizzle by now."

"I'm afraid it's just too dry for it to rain," said Grover softly and with a sigh of despair, "From what I can tell, the rain is evaporating before coming remotely close to the ground. Looks like it's going to be another long night out here for me, Gremlin: the last thing we need is a lightning-spawned wild fire in these dried-up woods."

"I most certainly agree," said Gremlin, nodding his head as yet another distant boom of thunder echoed over the vast forest, "So, what do you want to talk about?"

"I hope you don't think of me being rude or anything, but I've been meaning to ask where you came from and who your parents are. I'm quite curious," asked Grover in a leisurely manner.

"Oh? Why do you want to know?" asked Gremlin. A distant flash of lighting illuminated the forest for but an instant as a low rumble of thunder echoed over the old woods.

"Perhaps you are familiar with the Gardevoir tribe that lives in this forest?" asked Grover. Gremlin nodded his head in reply.

"Of course I know about them," said Gremlin happily, "We visit them every few weeks or so. They give us food and other supplies in return for helping to keep the forest safe from disaster as well as for keeping humans away."

"Indeed," said Grover with a nod, "A few days ago, a member of the tribe came by our cabin, asking me to come accompany him to see the Gardevoir chieftain at once."

"Yeah, I remember that," said Gremlin, deciding to sit down on his branch as his feet were starting to get tired from standing, "What was that all about, anyway? The Gardevoir wouldn't let me or Joe come along with you that time for some reason."

"Well, the chief had some very sensitive matters to discuss," said Grover, "Perhaps it is good you ventured out of the cabin tonight against my orders. I think now is as good a time as any to tell you what the chief and I spoke about."

"Well, go on ahead, Grover," said Gremlin politely, reclining against the tree trunk, "I'm all ears." Grover nodded his head.

"Well, last week, a lone Kabutops visited the Gardevoir village and was begging to see the chief. The chief agreed to see the Kabutops and even allowed the visitor into his home. Once there, the Kabutops kept asking questions about a Sableye with a description which matched your appearance: unusually tall, very powerful and without aversion to sunlight," explained Grover, "The chief refused to give any answers, especially because the Kabutops would not identify himself, especially as the frustrated Kabutops started to threaten the chieftain. Fortunately, the Kabutops soon left the village without causing any trouble after being confronted by the chief's guards. So, tell me Gremlin: do you know any Kabutops?"

"Can't say I do, Grover," was Gremlin's answer.

"Ah. I see…" said Grover, his voice abounding with concern.

"But what does this have to do with me?" asked Gremlin.

"The Gardevoirs have heard a lot of troubling rumors lately from around the forest," said Grover with a soft voice, "Are you familiar with an ancient order of bloodthirsty Pokémon, known as the Blight?" Gremlin nodded his head.

"You may recall they were an evil bunch," said Grover with dread, "They murdered and killed countless thousands, maybe millions of Pokémon and humans alike during their rein of terror thousands of years ago. Apparently, a large clan of several hundred Kabutops was part of the Blight, controlled by their vile leader, Heavy Claw."

"I know about that," said Gremlin, his voice ripe with impatience and growing concern, "But what does something that happened ages ago have to do with the here and now?"

"The Blight never really disappeared," said Grover, narrowing his eyes at Gremlin, "I've heard rumors, being spread by the creatures of this forest, saying agents of the Blight are roaming these very woods, searching for something or someone of great importance. Say… one of the last remaining members of an ancient order of Pokémon? A group of protectors known only as… the Order of Twining Shadows…" Gremlin's eyes opened wide at Grover's statement. Now the Sableye was very worried, indeed.

"Tell me, Gremlin: Who is your father?" asked Grover worriedly and with a stern tone of voice, "I must know…"

"Why do you want to know that? How do I know that you aren't an agent of the Blight?" asked Gremlin with a sneer, slowly moving away from the Sceptile. Grover growled with indignation.

"What makes you think that I, after all our years of friendship and working so hard together for so long to protect this forest, would dare betray you?" thundered Grover with hot anger.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" said Gremlin fearfully, "Please forgive me, Grover! I didn't mean to say that…" Grover closed his eyes, letting out a gentle sigh while quickly regaining his composure.

"I know… I know you did not intend to say such a thing…" said Grover, taking several deep breaths as he again spoke with a soft and gentle voice, "Please: forgive me for losing my temper, but I must know more about your family. If there really are sinister agents out there looking for you, then I, for one, do not want you to fall into their clutches. Now tell me: who is your father?" Gremlin took a deep breath: then he spoke quietly and with immense hesitation.

"My father's name is Asmodeus," replied Gremlin with a soft whisper. Grover nodded his head a few times.

"So… the chief was right," said Grover softly to himself, "That Kabutops was indeed asking questions about the son of Asmodeus…"

"Is something wrong?" asked Gremlin quietly, "What are you saying? I can't understand you." The Sceptile glanced left and right cautiously, sniffing the air and listening carefully for several moments. He wanted to make absolutely sure that no one else was nearby. Grover stepped down off his branch and took a seat at Gremlin's right side before he started to speak again: this time, he was much quieter and a lot more wary.

"I do not believe it is safe for you to reside in these woods any longer," warned Grover, "If agents of the Blight were to find you, I have little doubt Joe or I could face them in a fight and win. Those fiends are incredibly powerful: you can admit that you would have little chance against even just one of those vile creatures." Gremlin slowly nodded his head in agreement. Grover, a look of sadness on his face, glanced over at the silent Sableye and then said with a tender voice, "My friend, you are going to have to make preparations to leave this forest as soon as you possibly can. I recommend you prepare for your journey, starting tomorrow."

"I really do not want to put you and Joe in danger by staying here, but where can I go?" asked a now very worried Gremlin.

"The only place I can think of where you would be safe, is the city of Alakaz," replied Grover, "Even thousands of years after their defeat in the Great Pokémon Wars, the Blight refused to admit defeat. Their numbers are small, but still considerable and they should not be underestimated. Still, I do not believe they would dare try anything brazen in a bustling city. You can imagine the humans would not tolerate a group of marauding Pokémon in their metropolis. The Blight would certainly be no match against hundreds of thousands of humans with modern weapons and hordes of well-trained Pokémon. That, and since their numbers are so few, I doubt the Blight would want to draw undo attention to themselves. As far as a place where you could stay in Alakaz, the outskirts of the city have plenty of old and abandoned buildings where you could make your home."

"What about Joe?" asked Gremlin, "Though he's gotten more powerful over the years, do you think he's ready to keep humans out of the forest on his own?"

"What do you think?" asked Grover with a friendly smile, "You trained Joe yourself. What is your professional assessment of his powers and abilities now?" Gremlin smiled back at Grover.

"You're right, Grover," said Gremlin happily and with an appreciative nod, "He'll be just fine."

"I wouldn't doubt it for a moment," said Grover with a reassuring voice, "Besides; Joe won't be completely on his own. I'll be watching over him."

"Well, then I guess I can start getting ready to leave for Alakaz tomorrow," said Gremlin with some reluctance.

"Joe will understand," said Grover, "He would not want you to remain here if he knew the danger you and the rest of us would have to face. We can accompany you to the edge of the forest to see you off, if you wish. From there, it is a few days hike through the desert down to Alakaz."

"And Grover…" said Gremlin, with a heavy sigh and sadness in his voice, "Thank you for taking me in and for watching out for me."

"What are friends for?" said Grover cheerfully, gently patting Gremlin on the back a few times. For a few minutes, neither Grover nor Gremlin spoke another word, until another distant flash of lightning lit up the sky for miles around. Grover suddenly turned his gaze away from Gremlin and towards the mountain forests to the north with a look of fear in his eyes. The bewildered Sableye looked up at the shocked Sceptile.

"What is it, Grover?" whispered Gremlin, "Do you see something wrong with the woods out there?" The Sceptile nodded his head and pointed towards a mountain peak in the distance.

"Do you see that?" asked Grover with a serious tone of voice, "That red glowing in the distance?"

"I do! Is that what I think it is?" asked Gremlin with shock.

"Yes…" murmured Grover as another flash of lightning lit up the sky and revealed a small column of smoke, rising up from the forest in the distance, "Looks like we have another forest fire on our hands. If we're quick, we might be able to put it out before it grows too large. No doubt the dry woods will allow the flames to spread quickly. Hop to it! Let's get down from this tree, get Joe and head out there at once!"

"Agreed!" said Gremlin as he and Grover started to climb down the might conifer, "You know, Grover, perhaps standing up here on this tall tree during a thunderstorm is not very good idea." Grover looked at Gremlin as if he was about to say something when, without warning, a blindingly-bright flash and a deafening "Boom!" knocked both the Sableye and Sceptile loose from the tree trunk. Darkness soon overtook Gremlin as he tumbled towards the ground. He felt like he was falling in slow motion, blacking out well before he hit the ground.


	4. Section 4

**-136B-**

After what seemed like only a matter of moments, another loud crack from a nearby thunderbolt stirred Gremlin from a deep sleep. The Sableye staggered to his feet, wondering what had just happened to him. He turned around fast: the once mighty tree, which probably had been over a thousand years old, had been split clean down the middle into three immensely long pieces which now were lying on the forest floor, still smoldering from the intense heat of a lightning strike. Gremlin looked down at the ground to his left and saw Grover, lying motionless on the soft earth. The Sceptile's green hide was blackened and burnt in several places.

"Grover!" shouted Gremlin frantically, kneeling next to his fallen friend, "Can you hear me? Say something!" Gremlin carefully turned the Sceptile from his belly onto his back. Then, the frightened Sableye placed his left ear against Grover's chest. Gremlin let out a sigh of relief as Grover's heart was still beating. The Sceptile was also still breathing.

"Thank God…" said Gremlin to himself as Grover coughed loudly, slowly opening his eyes.

"There you are Gremlin…" said Grover weakly, yet with a smile on his face, "Are you okay, my friend?"

"I'm fine and I'm glad to see you are, too!" said Gremlin with relief and great joy, "Man, I thought you were done for!"

"What? Did you really think a single lightning strike would best me? I think not!" said Grover with laughter, thought he was wincing from intense pain that seemed to engulf every inch of his body, as was a strange feeling of numbness, "Nonetheless, I think I faired the worst from that little… surprise…"

"You think you're going to be okay?" asked Gremlin, "We should at least try and get you back to the cabin where it's safe."

"I agree," said Grover, trying to stand up, but his weakened body refused to let him do so easily. The Sableye looked on as his Sceptile friend staggered to his feet.

"Whoa! Careful, Grover," said Gremlin, stepping up beside the Sceptile to try and shore him up, "Take it easy. You got hit by a lightning strike, remember?"

"I thought I had faired better than this," said Grover with a sigh of disappointment, "Well, since I can't walk back to cabin, we'll have to use an alternative method. Tell me: have you been working on your teleportation techniques, Gremlin?"

"Yeah, but I'm still having a lot of trouble teleporting over long distances yet," said an unconfident Gremlin, shrugging his shoulders, "There's a good chance we could wind up anywhere in these woods, but I'll try to get us back home." Grover, understanding Gremlin's concerns, slowly nodded his head.

"Then please do so. I know you can do it…" coughed Grover, "We don't have much of a choice. You will need Joe's help in taking care of that wildfire. I can't walk back to the cabin and you certainly are not physically strong enough to carry me…"

"I don't doubt you on that one," said Gremlin as he closed his eyes and tried to call upon his power, "Now… hold still. If all goes well, we should find ourselves inside the cabin in just a few seconds." Meanwhile, Joe was sitting on a rug at the middle of the cabin's wooden floor. He may not have sensed any humans close to the forest, but he still could not shake the feeling that somewhere, out in the sprawling woods, something was amiss. No sooner did Joe open his eyes and start to stand up when he suddenly heard a loud "Thump!" from somewhere up on the roof.

"What on earth?" shouted a startled Joe.

"What happened, Gremlin?" asked a muffled, yet somewhat familiar voice from the roof in a weak manner, "I don't think we arrived inside our cabin… Where are we?"

"I think we're on the roof. Looks like my long-range teleporting is quite up to scratch yet…" said another equally muffled, yet familiar voice with embarrassment.

"I'll take a near miss over an outright failure any day," said Grover, chuckling warmly under his breath, but he wincing from dull pain which still abounded throughout his body.

"Huh?" shouted Joe with disbelief, up towards the ceiling, "Who's up there? Is that you, Gremlin and Grover?"

"Yes!" replied Gremlin with uneasiness abounding in his voice, "Please get up here at once: I need help bringing Grover inside. He was hit by lightning and had a nasty fall!"

"Right! I'll be up there in a jiffy!" shouted Joe as he flew up towards the ceiling and phased through the solid wood as it if were nothing more than thin air. It took several minutes for Gremlin and Joe to carefully get Grover down from the roof and into his bed inside the warm cabin. Joe floated alongside the stricken Sceptile nervously as Gremlin dug through a few small wooden crates in a corner of the cabin in a desperate search for some medicine to help ease Grover's pain.

"Ah, ha! Here we go!" said Gremlin triumphantly as he managed to find a small bottle of a generic painkiller in the bottom of one of the crates. Little time passed before Grover was sitting up in bed, but only briefly, to swallow some of the elongated white pills with a glass of water before lying back down.

"Grover?" asked a worrying Joe, "Are you going to be okay?"

"I think all I need are a few days of rest and I should be as good as new, Joe. There's no need to worry," said Grover quietly, trying his best to reassure the vexed Haunter.

"Okay. If you say so," said Joe with relief.

"Now, what are we going to do about that forest fire?" asked Gremlin, "I imagine is has grown considerably since we first spotted it, eh Grover?"

"I'll bet that's the case," said Grover with a nod of his head, "Gremlin, Joe: you need to head outside and towards the source of the fire. There is a chance you can put it out before it spreads much further; otherwise, the fire could easily make its way from one end of this forest to the other, no thanks to the drought we've had for most of the year."

"We'll get right on it," said a very determined Gremlin.

"Yeah! We'll take care of it," said Joe with confidence.

"Remember, my friends," cautioned Grover, "If you need help, don't hesitate to ask the Gardevoir tribe for help. I don't think they would turn you away. I'd go with you myself, but I can barely move now. And Gremlin… try your best to not draw much attention to yourself out there. You know why…" Gremlin nodded his head with affirmation with a serious look on his face.

"Why would Gremlin need to keep a low profile?" asked a confused Joe, "What exactly are you talking about, Grover?"

"I'll fill you in on the way to there," said Gremlin, "It may take several hours just get near the wildfire because I can only teleport short distances with any degree of accuracy. We wouldn't want to end up accidentally teleporting several thousand feet above the ground, would we?"

"I would agree with that," said Joe, returning his gaze to Grover's face, "Hopefully, we'll be back before dawn."

"Do what you must," said Grover, smiling at his two friends, "I await your safe return… Good luck out there." Without another word, Gremlin and Joe ran out of the cabin in great haste, closing and locking the door as they went outside. Surely enough, much to Gremlin's frustration, he only managed to teleport himself and Joe a few hundred yards at a time before needing to rest for several minutes afterwards before making another attempt at teleportation. During each rest, Gremlin would tell Joe more about the troubling talk he had with Grover just earlier in the night.

"I think I get what you're saying," said Joe with understanding, "Grover and the Gardevoir chief believe remnants of the Blight are trying to hunt you down."

"That's correct," said Gremlin, trying to catch his breath while also trying to shake off the exhaustion which plagued him after every teleport, "So… now you know why I must leave this place."

"I wish you didn't have to go…" said a saddened Joe, "I mean, surely me and Grover would be more than a match for a couple of worthless, evil Pokémon. Don't you think so? Maybe the Gardevoirs would help us protect you, too."

"I don't think so," said Gremlin with a single shrug of his shoulders, "I've heard rumors about members of the Blight. Even just a handful of those hateful beasts would be more than a match for us and even the entire Gardevoir village. I don't want to risk having the Blight bring a bigger force to these woods and then slaughter the peace-loving Gardevoirs and their children. Believe me, it is better that I leave as soon as I can than risk bringing ruin and death to this place. I couldn't live with myself if you, Grover and our Gardevoir neighbors died just trying to protect me." Joe sighed despairingly.

"I wish I could come with you…" said the Haunter with grief becoming more evident in his voice. Gremlin smiled at his old friend and then spoke to him in a reassuring manner.

"I plan to leave tomorrow or the day after," said Gremlin, "I'm sure Grover would let you accompany me and him to the south edge of the forest to see me off. Besides, he and the forest need you, Joe. I believe you will do fine in keeping this place safe from ruin and especially from those unwanted humans."

"Each time I give another human the full treatment, I'll have to think of you and the antics we pulled together all these years," cackled Joe with a big, toothy and mischievous smile.

"I don't doubt you," said Gremlin, smiling at Joe, "You know I'll never forget you." It had taken nearly an hour for the two ghosts to finally get to the front edge of the roaring blaze. The situation was exactly what they had feared the most. The forest fire had grown very quickly, easily burning through the thirsty woods and dry underbrush. The Sableye and Haunter could only watch in horror as the monstrous inferno slowly marched onward towards them. From time to time, small tornadoes of fire would form and travel along the ground for a short distance before quickly dissipating along the fire's edge: an eerie sight for Gremlin and Joe to behold.

"Well… do you have any ideas on what we should do now, Joe?" asked a shocked Gremlin, starting to wonder if he and his friend were already too late to stop the huge blaze.

"W-w-w-w… we… well…" stammered Joe, mystified and terrified by the enormous flames that drew ever closer to him and the stunned Sableye, "Why don't we do as Grover suggested? Let's go back and get help from the Gardevoirs. I don't think they would turn us away, nor would they allow the woods to be devastated."

"That's a very good idea, Joe," said Gremlin with despair, "But it will take another hour or more just to get to the village from here using my power. I'm still quite tired from getting us this far. I can't teleport both of us, or even just myself all the way to the Gardevoir's village now."

"How about I try, then?" suggested Joe, shrugging his nonexistent shoulders, "Not like we have much of a choice, do we?" Gremlin nervously drew a deep breath and sighed.

"You've never teleported that far before and definitely never tried teleporting more than one creature at once," cautioned Gremlin, "What makes you think we'll get to the village at all, let alone alive?"

"I have to try, Gremlin," said Joe with mounting determination, "All the other Pokémon in this area and probably for at least a mile around have probably already left, spooked by this huge firestorm, so there probably isn't anyone nearby who can help us. The Gardevoirs are our best bet."

"Very well," said Gremlin, gathering his courage, "I have faith in you. I've taught you well, Joe. Now let's see what you really are capable of. Take us to the Gardevoir village: I know you can do it." Joe nodded his head in reply as he and his Sableye friend closed their eyes. Gremlin could only wonder what soon might become of him and his Haunter companion. Then again, the Sableye really did not even want to imagine where he and Joe could end up or what could happen to them should the teleport attempt end in disaster.

"Here goes nothing…" said Joe as he focused his power, concentrating as hard as he could with his goal in mind. The Haunter could just imagine him and Gremlin standing in front of the entrance to the Gardevoirs' hidden town, Gaia.

"You can do it, Joe!" said Gremlin confidently, despite the great doubts the Sableye harbored in his mind. Darkness seemed to creep up around the two ghost Pokémon as Joe continued to focus, undeterred by the challenge he now had to face.

"Here we go!" shouted Joe, "I'm ready for this!"

"Go for it!" yelled Gremlin. Nothing seemed to be happening, except Gremlin seemed to feel the unnatural darkness and shadows around him and Joe fading away. The bewildered Sableye opened one eye, quickly opening the other as well with surprise. For a few moments, Gremlin refused to believe what his eyes beheld. Nonetheless, the Sableye quickly realized what had happened.

"Um… Joe?" asked Gremlin as he looked left and right at his surroundings, utterly amazed at what he was seeing.

"Don't disrupt me, Gremlin!" warned Joe, "I really have to focus and concentrate, otherwise we could end up anywhere in the world, or may get destroyed!"

"Joe! Stop! Open your eyes!" said Gremlin frantically.

"Not until we get to the village!" snapped Joe angrily, "Now quit bothering me, for crying out loud!"

"Joe," said Gremlin calmly, "I think we're already there." In an instant, the Haunter let his immense power subside and opened his eyes to be greeted by some unexpected surroundings.

"Well, I'll be dipped…" said Joe with amazement as he gazed at the dark brown, stone walls of the crystal cavern, "We're at the entrance to the Gardevoir's underground haven: Gaia. But… how did we get here already and so quickly?"

"I would say you are far more powerful than you realized," said Gremlin, grinning at his flabbergasted ghost companion.

"Good thing I didn't try and focus my power some more, huh?" asked Joe sheepishly. Gremlin's reply was one nod of his head.

"We really could have ended up anywhere," said Gremlin with a nervous smile, "Still… why did we come here again?" Joe gasped, placing his hands on the sides of his purple head.

"I remember!" said Joe, almost falling into a panic, "We need help to douse that wildfire!" With that, Joe and Gremlin went dashing deeper into the caverns and towards the underground village the Gardevoir tribe called their home. In only a matter of minutes, they found the outskirts of the subterranean settlement. Before them were several hundred simple houses as well as other buildings of various sizes, shapes and colors. The buildings seemed to be made of various kinds of stone with wooden roofs. There certainly were more than enough places to house the thousand or so Gardevoirs and their young who dwelled there. Large crystals hanging from the ceiling glowed with light potent enough to provide illumination to the village as bright as a sunny day above ground. Without so much as another word, the two ghost Pokémon began a frantic search from house to house, hoping to find someone: anyone who could help them fend off the approaching flames. Despite going from door to door and spending nearly an hour searching the subterranean settlement, Gremlin and Joe found not one single inhabitant of the hidden village. They regrouped at the center of the small town, thoroughly exhausted from their search.

"You don't suppose the Blight got down here first and either took or killed everyone down here, do you?" asked Joe.

"I seriously doubt it," answered Gremlin, turning his gaze upon the lighted windows and cobblestone streets all about him, "There's no sign of a struggle or a battle for that matter." The entire village seemed quiet as a tomb, until the two ghosts heard some soft and pleasant music coming from somewhere deeper in the village. Gremlin and Joe faced each other.

"Do you hear that, Gremlin?" asked a puzzled Joe.

"I do…" replied the equally confused Sableye, "It sounds like a pipe organ… a very elaborate one, too…" Gremlin and Joe turned their eyes down a nearby street. They soon laid eyes upon a fairly large building with stain glass windows and a tall steeple at the very end of the otherwise empty street.

"It's coming from the church!" said Gremlin and Joe in unison before they went careening down the otherwise quiet avenue with haste. Joe couldn't help but wonder what was transpiring in the place of worship, lying just beyond. He paused only for a moment to take a passing glance at a three-story clock tower nestled on one side of the town square.

"It's 6 in the morning…" thought Joe with bewilderment, "What could possibly be going on at this hour?" Soon, Gremlin and Joe arrived at the front steps of the magnificent church. Without so much as another thought, they charged through the first set of double doors. There was no one to greet them in the front room, but the delightful music continued to play, getting louder as the two Pokémon continued onward into the building.

"Strange…" thought Gremlin as he and Joe approached the last set of double doors, which would lead them into the sanctuary, "The song being played on the organ sounds awfully familiar… but I can't quite place it." The loud music came to a sudden end, almost on cue as Gremlin and Joe rammed their way through the doors, almost knocking them off their hinges.

"Wait!" screamed Gremlin as loud as he could.

"Yeah! Hold it right there!" yelled Joe. Just then, the two ghosts realized what was going on in the church that morning. They came to a screeching halt not more than a few yards down a long red carpet, leading all the way up to the pulpit. The surrounding multitude of Gardevoirs and Kirlias sitting in the rows upon rows of pews were either wearing traditional wedding attire or their fanciest clothes. Every Ralts in the sanctuary was also dressed up for the grand occasion that Gremlin and Joe had just unwittingly interrupted. Standing at the opposite end of the build were four Gardevoirs. The closest two were side by side, the one on the left was a somewhat older male Gardevoir in a wedding dress with a much younger female Gardevoir standing at his left side, wearing a shimmering wedding dress, a menagerie of jewelry and a flowing lace veil draped down her back. Meanwhile, standing on the right side of the altar, was a young male Gardevoir, also wearing a wedding dress with an even older Gardevoir in wedding attire standing at the pulpit. Every last one of the startled Psychic-Type Pokémon were staring at Gremlin and Joe with their eyes wide open in shock. After several awkward minutes, the sage Gardevoir standing in the pulpit finally regained his composure and spoke.

"Do you… have a reason why these two should not be wed?" asked the old, thoroughly confused Gardevoir, "For your sakes, it had better be a good one…" Gremlin nervously glanced over at Joe.

"Good thing we didn't interrupt this wedding at too bad of a time; otherwise, it would be rather awkward. Don't you think?" said a flustered Gremlin to his cohort.

"And THIS is not awkward?" said a now quite frazzled Joe.

"Well?" asked the old Gardevoir with growing impatience, "I say again: do you have a reason why these two should not be wed? If so, then speak now or forever hold your peace." A beautiful, elderly female Gardevoir, also adorned in a lavish wedding dress and jewelry, was sitting in an expertly-carved and quite ornate wooden chair behind the Gardevoir chieftain. She rose to her feet and walked up alongside the sage male Gardevoir.

"My husband, Archimedes, chief of Gaia, asked you a question," said the female Gardevoir with a gentle voice and a friendly smile, "Do you have good cause as to why the young bride and groom standing before you should not marry?" A thoroughly embarrassed Gremlin and Joe were staring wide-eyed at the two Gardevoir rulers. They'd heard stories about the Gardevoir settlements throughout the lands which the humans named the Gardev Region. All the large Gardevoir cities had a royal family with a king and queen ruling over each hidden metropolis. However, since Gaia was a relatively small settlement, the hidden town was instead ruled by a chief and his mate. They were chosen by the people of Gaia to rule over the small, underground village until they would be too old to uphold their duties. At that time, a new chief would be chosen and any resident could become a candidate. Despite this, a descendant of the current chieftain was always chosen as the next ruler of Gaia. Thus, for many millennia since the founding of Gaia, the same family was always in power. Gremlin quickly snapped back into reality.

"Gremlin and Joe: my wife Tanya and I are awaiting your reply. As are my son Hector and his bride, Adelinda," said Archimedes with increasing impatience, "Please, my friends, do not continue to delay my son's wedding."

"No complaints here," said Gremlin respectfully.

"Ditto!" was all Joe managed to say.

"Very good," said Archimedes as the sage Gardevoir straightened his collar and gazed upon the worried Sableye and Haunter, "Is there… something you needed?" Gremlin quickly regained his composure and drew a single deep breath before he spoke again.

"There's a huge wildfire on the edge of the woods east of here!" said Gremlin, speaking fast and with his words almost unintelligible, "We need your help to stop it or it could consume this entire tinderbox of a forest with a day!"

"Yeah!" said Joe hastily. The Gardevoir chief and his mate nodded their heads. The look of shock on their faces quickly replaced with one of seriousness and determination.

"What about Grover?" asked a concerned Tanya, "Where is he? Is he okay? Usually you three are together."

"Grover's hurt, badly!" said Gremlin frantically, "Will you help us? That blaze gets bigger and bigger the longer we wait!" The Gardevoir chieftain nodded his head.

"You all heard our neighbors Gremlin and Joe," said Archimedes to his subjects, "We have to defend the forest."

"Wait!" said the father of the bride with nervousness, "I hate to sound selfish and all, but… what about the wedding?"

"Alright," said Archimedes, cracking his knuckles and the flexing his fingers, "We'll have to do the short-short version."

"Okay," said the bride's father as he quickly, but still tenderly handed his daughter off to the waiting groom, "I give this female Gardevoir to this male Gardevoir." Hector and Adelinda quickly stepped up to the altar together and held hands, gazing upon each other in their wedding splendor.

"Do you both understand what is expected of becoming mates?" asked Archimedes with no lack of haste.

"Yes!" said the bride and groom quickly and in perfect unison.

"Your vows must not be taken lightly and I know you both know what they are, am I right?" said the Archimedes calmly.

"Yes!" was the fast reply of the mates-to-be. The chief quickly turned his gaze upon the groom.

"Do you, my son?" asked Archimedes with haste.

"Yes!" replied Hector as the Gardevoir chieftain then turned his gentle, yet quite hurried gaze upon Adelinda.

"Do you, my dear?" asked the Gardevoir chief quickly, yet with a very gentle tone of voice.

"Yes!" said the blushing bride immediately with a smile.

"We have rings for each other!" said the young couple hurriedly as they snatched the rings away from the Ralts ring-bearer. The young lovers fumbled with the rings for only a few short moments before managing to get them onto each others' fingers.

"Okay! With the exchange of rings, vows and by the power vested in me as your chief, I now pronounce you as mates!" said Archimedes happily, but not slowing down his statements one bit. He clapped his hands together once and then said, "Good! You're married! Kiss her!" The young lovers slowed things down for just this moment as they walked towards each other and wrapped their arms around each other's torso.

"I love you…" said Hector, the chief's son softly.

"And I love you…" said Adelinda, the smiling bride with a sweet, tender voice. The congregation broke into cheers and applause while the newlyweds passionately enjoyed their first kiss. After about a minute, the blushing young lovers broke the kiss and faced their chief with big smiles on their faces.

"Now then," said the sage Gardevoir, finally calming down as he looked upon his people, "As you can all probably imagine: the banquet as well as the bouquet and garter tosses will have to be delayed as we have a major conundrum on our hands." The chief lifted his gaze and fixed it upon Gremlin and Joe.

"My friends: we will do everything in our power to aid you. We must not let our home be destroyed. Please lead us on to battle!" said the old Gardevoir with immense courage.

"Right!" said a determined Joe with a nod of affirmation.

"Follow us!" shouted Gremlin as he and Joe led the charge of the huge throng of Gardevoirs, Kirlias and Ralts out of the church, through the crystal caverns and all the way to the surface. Once they could all see the smoke and flames in the distance, they could effectively teleport each other to the edge of the wildfire and hopefully stop the intense blaze in its tracks. By the time the small army of psychic Pokémon and their ghost friends had arrived near the edge of the blaze, the wildfire had erupted into a full-fledged firestorm. Thousands of frightened Pokémon: Oddish, Stantlers, Spinarak, Pidgeys, Spearows and a myriad of other species were fleeing from the monstrous, four-mile wide inferno. Even the sage Gardevoir chieftain, Archimedes and his mate Tanya had never seen a wildfire of this scope in all their years. Before the group of Pokémon was an ancient, dry riverbed and less than 500 yards away was the very edge of the fire. The chief Gardevoir glanced up and down the parched riverbed towards the south and northern horizons, quickly sizing up the situation.

"This isn't going to be as easy as I hoped…" said Archimedes quietly to himself while he turned around to face the two Ghost-Type Pokémon who had led him and his people into the fray, "Alright, my friends, how do you propose we deal with this great threat?" Gremlin couldn't help but turn his attention to the dry riverbed, wondering when the waterway had dried up.

"How long as this river been dry?" asked Gremlin with curiosity. Archimedes nodded his head.

"It's been centuries since water flowed through here," replied the old Gardevoir, "Apparently, one day, maybe 400 years ago, the river suddenly stopped flowing. It must have dried up within a matter weeks, but to my knowledge, no one has ever gone further north to investigate what happened. I suspect the village chief at the time simply dismissed the occurrence as an act of nature: the river changing course on its own. Now, since my village does not rely on this river for drinking water or bathing, this is the only explanation I can think of. You can understand that we can't possibly keep an eye on thousands of square miles of forest. Even if there were members of the Olympus royal family living in our small village, I doubt we would have bothered trying to take care of a place that is nearly 50 miles away from our homes. I hope you don't think of us as selfish, but my people are not really that powerful. We have much to tend to just within our own village."

"I can understand that," said Gremlin, shrugging his shoulders, "But Joe and I have managed to keep humans out of this entire forest by ourselves."

"But you and your friend are immensely powerful; anyone here can see that," said Archimedes respectfully, "Now, what are we to do about this blaze? If we don't stop it quickly, it could destroy the entire ecosystem for miles and miles around. My people depend on the forest for food. We would have to abandon our village for several years, maybe centuries!" Gremlin paused only for a few moments to look upstream of the parched, deep, sandy and rocky channel towards a mountain valley that lie a hundred or more miles in the distance. Gremlin turned about and faced the Gardevoir chief with a twinkle in his eye, a great idea had quickly formed in the Sableye's mind.

"If your people were to spread out in a long line along this riverbed and put up a big psychic barrier together, how long do you think you could all hold off the fire?" asked Gremlin.

"Maybe half an hour at the very most," replied Archimedes matter-of-factly, "Do you have a plan? I doubt we could hold the fire at bay long enough for it to burn itself out."

"Plus there are far too few of us," cautioned Tanya.

"Maybe so," answered Gremlin, "But Joe and I are going to search up this old riverbed. I don't know what we might accomplish, but maybe we could reroute the river and get it to flow down here once again. If we can get a large enough volume of water to this place, maybe you and your people can then use telekinesis to throw blobs of water onto the fire or maybe direct streams of water towards the blaze? The only alternative is to spend days tearing out huge areas of the forest for fire lines."

"I see," said Archimedes, "Then my people are in your hands, Gremlin and Joe. I pray you will find what you seek."

"Me too," said Gremlin as he faced Joe, "Alright buddy, teleport us to that mountain valley to the north."

"With pleasure!" said Joe as he started to focus his power.

"Please hurry back and be careful," said a worried Tanya. The surrounding Gardevoirs and their young looked on with amazement as dark clouds started to appear from out of thin air and began to swirl around the Sableye and Haunter. A few moments later, the two ghost Pokémon were completely enveloped in the dark clouds. There was a loud "Poof!" and the black clouds were dispersed in an instant: not a trace of Gremlin and Joe remained. The chief Gardevoir quickly returned his attention to his subjects and addressed them with a loud voice.

"Alright! I want everyone to line up single-file along this riverbed at thirty-foot intervals!" commanded Archimedes with determination, "We have to work together in order to create one giant barrier to hold back the flames and embers as long as possible! Let's get to it!" Without another word, the immense crowd of over a thousand psychic Pokémon obeyed their leader and quickly lined up along the riverbed. They needed no words as they combined their power and before long, they had erected a tall and wide bluish barrier of potent energy. Mere minutes passed before the intense blaze was soon against the psychic shield and all the Gardevoirs, Kirlias and Ralts strained to keep the barrier from breaking, knowing very well how more than their homes and way of life were in jeopardy. As for Gremlin and Joe, they arrived several miles upstream, not far from the mouth of the mountain valley. Much to their surprise, there really was a river flowing to the south and towards the immense forest.

"Well! Good to see there really is water up here!" said Joe with glee, "Which begs the question: why is there no water to the south?" Gremlin scratched his head a few times with his left hand, thinking hard and fast, knowing there was little time to spare. In a matter of moments, a simple solution came to mind.

"Let's follow the river!" said Gremlin as he ran alongside the river with no shortage of haste, "It shouldn't take too long to find out what's gumming up the works downstream!" Joe merely shrugged his shoulders and took off, floating hastily and not far behind his good friend. Further downriver, the army of psychic Pokémon was continuing their struggle to hold the flames at bay. The wise Gardevoir chief looked to his left and to his right. Although only a few minutes had passed since Gremlin and Joe had left, dozens of his people were already collapsing along the sandy riverbank with exhaustion, unable to help their comrades keep the barrier up any longer.

"Those two had better hurry!" thought Archimedes with growing fear, "Otherwise, we may not have enough energy among the lot of us just to teleport everyone to a safe distance!" Gremlin and Joe knew very well that thousands of creatures were depending on them to help put an end to the firestorm. Once the two ghosts realized running would not be fast enough, they again relied on having Gremlin leapfrog themselves further and further downstream with one teleport after another. Within a few minutes and after several hundred-yard leaps and bounds down the river, they discovered why the waterway had been bare and dry for so long. At a fork in the mighty river, a huge rock and earthen dam had been constructed which was redirecting the flow to the southwest while the southern fork of the river was left dry behind the old and hastily-built structure.

"Sheesh!" said Joe with dismay, he and Gremlin standing at the base of the dry side of the dam in the dried up waterway, "How long do you think this thing has been here?"

"If the Gardevoir chief is correct, over 400 years," said Gremlin with amazement, "It's probably quite obvious, but I don't think toppling this huge nuisance is going to be easy…" Before Gremlin could say another word, Joe thrust his hands forward, unleashing a powerful Shadow Ball into the base of the dam. Down river, the old Gardevoir quickly glanced to his left towards the northern horizon when he heard the sound of a distant explosion and saw a cloud of dust rise up in the distance, obscuring the mountain valley beyond.

"I wonder what those two ghosts are up to now?" thought the bewildered Gardevoir chieftain, "No matter. I'm sure they know what they're doing. At least I hope they do…" Gremlin, on the other hand, was no so sure. He stood completely still at the base of the dam, his face and body blackened from the powerful blast. He looked down at his feet, noticing that only a few pebbles and rock fragments had been blasted loose from the earthen and stone structure.

"Are… are you okay, Joe…?" asked Gremlin slowly as he swiveled his head to his left. Sure enough, lying on the ground in a daze was Joe; the front of his body was also blackened.

"Whoa, Nelly…" slurred the shaken Haunter, "What the heck was that…?" Gremlin snorted with contempt.

"From what I can gather, you nearly blew us to bits, Joe!" snarled Gremlin angrily as he shook himself vigorously to get the ashes and soot off of his body.

"Oh? I did…?" asked Joe slowly as he started to float back off the ground. He rubbed his head with his hands a few times, trying to remember what had just happened.

"Yes! You did!" shouted Gremlin, pain still coursing through his body. The Sableye only wished he'd had enough time to become incorporeal to avoid the blast from Joe's hasty, unexpected and rather painful attack.

"Eh, heh, heh…" said Joe sheepishly with nervous laughter, "Sorry about that, Gremlin…"

"I forgive you, but please don't be so impulsive next time," said an irritated Gremlin while he and Joe returned their attention to the large dam in the river.

"Well, I'm out of ideas…" said Joe, shrugging his shoulders once again, "That was my most powerful attack and I barely put a dent in this dam." Gremlin took another glance at the base of the dam. Joe's attack had managed to bore a small crater into the dam's base, but considering the size and thickness of the earthen and rocky wall, it would take dozens if not hundreds more of Joe's attacks at full power before the dam would probably give way. He also figured such a plan would take far too long to complete. They needed to do something quickly to free the river, but what? A few moments later, another idea hit Gremlin. The plan was so stupid and was so absolutely ridiculous that maybe it would work.

"We don't have enough time to just beat on this thing…" said an annoyed Joe, surveying the structure, hoping to find some kind of weakness in the old wall, "It could take all day for me to breach this blasted dam on my own!"

"But you aren't on your own!" said Gremlin with glee. Joe looked back down at the base of the dam, seeing how Gremlin had just wedged himself into the small crater the Shadow Ball had left behind. Joe was rather bewildered at this sight.

"Have you gone mad or something?" asked Joe with disbelief, "What the heck are you doing down there?"

"I'm just going to sit here and use Bide while YOU clobber me with everything you've got!" replied Gremlin.

"Okay… you have gone bonkers…" said Joe with a heavy sigh.

"Don't just stand there, Joe! The Gardevoirs and every Pokémon in this forest is depending on us! Archimedes and his people won't be able to keep the firestorm back for much longer! They're doomed if we don't do something quickly!" said Gremlin resolutely as he dug his hands and feet into the ground and looked up at the perplexed Haunter with a big grin on his face, "Now, my student. Hit me, if you can."

"As you wish, sensei," said Joe, again shrugging his nonexistent shoulders, "But I still think you're nuts!" Again, strange and fairly loud sounds caught the attention of the Gardevoir chief. Archimedes quickly turned his gaze up river as the sound of distant explosions echoed throughout the forest and as small clouds of dust erupted in the distance.

"Do I really want to know what they're doing?" asked Archimedes to himself, "Probably not…" Time was now running out for the Gardevoirs. Many of them simply could no longer do their part to keep the barrier up. The tired Gardevoirs and their young were sitting on the ground, overcome with exhaustion while only half of the group of psychic Pokémon was doing everything they could to keep the shield strong against the intense encroaching inferno. Despite giving their all, the wall of psychic energy was straining against the immense fire and looked ready to shatter at any moment.

"Well…" thought the elderly chief with a heavy sigh of dread, "Any moment now, we shall face our destiny. One way or another… I sure hope I haven't doomed my people by bringing them out here…" Back upstream at the earthen dam, Gremlin was gritting his teeth as Joe dispensed one powerful blast after another upon his friend and teacher.

"If it's any consolation, this probably hurts you more than it hurts me!" shouted Gremlin.

"Still doesn't make me feel any better!" said Joe as he shot at Gremlin with one powerful Shadow Ball after another. Nonetheless, Gremlin held his ground, doing his best to withstand one punishing blow after another. Before long, Gremlin's body began to radiate with a bright, white light.

"That's enough!" thundered Gremlin, "Now get back and find someplace to hide! It's show time!" Joe nodded his head with affirmation and became incorporeal at will, sinking deep into the earth at one side of the dry waterway as Gremlin turned around and dug his hands into the wall of the dam, focusing all his power to that single point.

"I hope you know what you're doing!" said Joe's muffled voice from below the ground.

"I hope so, too!" shouted Gremlin just before he unleashed his full wrath upon the dam. Yet again, Archimedes was startled when he heard a thundering blast from somewhere to the north, but this time, the explosion sounded downright massive and made the ground shake. The chief looked northward up the dry waterway to see a small, brownish mushroom cloud erupt from the ground several miles away. The cloud completely blocked out much of the mountain range in the distance and the shaking ground soon fell still again. At that very moment, Archimedes turned his gentle gaze upon the encroaching inferno as it finally punched its way through the thoroughly weakened barrier. The fire quickly regained strength and speed, ready to bear down on the Gardevoirs and their children on the opposite side of the dry riverbed. Now there seemed to be no choice but to flee. The sage Gardevoir addressed his followers with a loud voice.

"I want every able male Gardevoir and Kirlia to teleport the women and children to safety at once! There's no time to dawdle!" shouted the chieftain to his people.

"Shouldn't we all try to escape?" asked Tanya with shock. Archimedes extended his right arm, pointing at the throng of exhausted Pokémon in their midst.

"Many are too tired to flee," said Archimedes with grief, "If we work quickly we can save far more than if we all tried to outrun the blaze." Tanya held tightly on her mate's hands.

"You heard Archimedes," said Tanya to the other Gardevoirs, Kirlias and Ralts, "We need to teleport as many of us to safety as possible: women and children first. Very little time passed for the somber meaning of the chief and his wife's command to sink in. The young and the females would be sent to someplace safe while the weakened males would stay behind and face their doom in order to save the lives of their friends and family. There were countless tearful goodbyes as hundreds of families prepared themselves to go their separate ways: forever.

"Tanya, my love," said Archimedes to his loving wife, "I was delighted to be your husband for all these years." Tanya quickly realized what Archimedes was getting at.

"No!" said Tanya sternly and with sadness, "I am not leaving you, dear. I'm going to stay right here with you. I'll use what's left of my power to help the others escape."

"As you wish, Tanya," said Archimedes, smiling as tears began to stream down his face, "We'll face our end together." Just then, Hector, absolutely exhausted stepped up in front of his father and mother with his bride, Adelinda, at his left side.

"Father," said Hector quietly, "If you wish, I shall teleport you to safety in my stead. Our people need you as their leader more than they need me."

"No, my son!" said Archimedes sternly, yet still with tears falling down his cheeks, "You must take your newlywed wife and as many as you can with you to safety. I've lived my life and have seen plenty in all my years. You are young and will have to help repopulate our homes. After this day, there will be very few males left in the village. Go now and God be with you." Hector nodded his head in reply and with that, the newlyweds said their hasty, tear-filled farewells to their parents. Then, Hector and Adelinda joined with some of the other tired psychic Pokémon to prepare for their departure to safety. Just when all seemed lost and the grown male Pokémon were ready to sacrifice themselves for their loved ones, many of them started to feel the ground quake again. The Gardevoir chieftain, who just moments ago was ready to face eternity with his wife at his side, had his hope renewed as the ground continued to shake. A distant, thundering roar overtook the sound of the quiet forest on one side of the river and drowned out the din of crackling, popping and roaring of the immense wildfire on the other side of the dried waterway. Archimedes couldn't help but smile.

"Father! What's happening?" said Hector, running back towards his father with Adelinda following close behind. The old Gardevoir chuckled warmly and let out a sigh of relief.

"I do believe, my son, that is the sound of our salvation," said Archimedes with joy before he again addressed his people, "Everyone! Keep back from the edge of the riverbed and get ready to douse those incoming flames! We have to succeed or we really will have to leave some of our loved-ones behind!" Moments later, a torrent of white, sandy water came roaring down the ancient riverbed, filling the once-parched waterway to its brim. The Gardevoirs and their young, feeling renewed in their spirits and with a new sense of hope, gathered what remained of their strength and power. Using telekinesis and working together, they redirected the river into hundreds of smaller streams, aiming them into the base of the approaching fire. Even though they were severely weakened, the group of Gardevoirs, Kirlias and Ralts fought hard, using every ounce of strength they had left for several more harrowing minutes. Finally, the titanic inferno had been completely snuffed out. The Gardevoir chief and his people now took a much deserved rest, thankful their friends, families and homes were now safe at last. Meanwhile, back upstream, Joe was hovering over the thundering waterway, desperately searching for his friend, Gremlin.

"Gremlin!" screamed Joe, his voice barely audible over the roaring rapids just below him, "Where are you? Gremlin!" Joe floated as fast as he could over the white waters downstream, keeping an eye out for any sign of his dear friend. For several horrific minutes, Joe scanned the waterway, hoping and praying he would find Gremlin alive. Had Gremlin drowned? Joe banished the thought from his mind and continued his desperate search. Just when he was about to give up hope, a single purple hand shot out from the waters below. Without a thought or a single word, Joe reached out with both arms and grabbed onto the hand as tightly as he could. Joe pulled with all his might to free the Sableye from the jaws of the mighty river.

"Hold on! I've got you!" shouted Joe as he quickly pulled Gremlin from the waterway and towards the shore. Much to Joe's relief; the Sableye was alive and smiling.

"We did it, Joe…" said Gremlin weakly, "We did it…"

"We sure did, didn't we? I'm so glad you're okay!" said Joe with joy as he floated to one side of the river, gently touching down on the ground with Gremlin in tow. Joe rested on the ground as Gremlin took a deep breath and then spat out several mouthfuls of foul-tasting, sandy water.

"I hope I never have to do that again…" said Gremlin with a sigh of relief, "Imagine: a ghost Pokémon almost getting killed by a river. Hard to think such a thing could happen, huh?"

"I'll say!" said a delighted Joe, "You just lay back and rest, buddy. I don't want you to try moving around again until you feel stronger and certainly a lot better." For the rest of the day and well into the evening, Joe didn't leave Gremlin's side. As the sun began to set, the Sableye finally felt like he had enough strength to begin the long journey home.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" asked Joe with concern. Gremlin slowly nodded his head as he carefully stood up.

"I think I'll be fine," said Gremlin happily to the concerned Haunter, "Once we get home, I imagine all I'll need are few days of rest. After that, I should be as good as new."

"If you say so, Gremlin," said Joe cheerfully as he turned his eyes towards the southern horizon down river, "So, do you think the Gardevoirs managed to take care of that horrid blaze?" Gremlin turned around and fixed his gaze upon the southern expanse of the woods.

"Judging by the lack of a billowing cloud of smoke, I would say they did," said Gremlin joyfully, relieved that everything seemed to have turned out well after all.

"Well, Gremlin old pal, I think we better get going," said Joe, "We have a long hike back to the cabin and I definitely don't want to stay out here in the woods longer than we have to."

"What makes you say that?" asked Gremlin with curiosity. Joe glanced cautiously to his left and right.

"The Blight…" whispered a very worried Joe. Gremlin nodded his head. Just then, the Sableye snapped his fingers and grinned as another idea dawned upon him.

"We don't have to hike all the way back to our cabin, Joe," said a smiling Gremlin, "Remember? You should be able to teleport us back home! I severely doubt you are as worn out as I am. Is my assumption correct, my friend?"

"I should have thought of that!" laughed Joe happily, "You're right! Let's be on our way, then!" But before Joe and Gremlin could react, they found themselves blinded momentarily by an intense flash of light. The Sableye and Haunter felt like they were floating in the midst of a dark void for several moments. Before they knew what was happening, there was yet another bright flash. When Gremlin and Joe could see clearly again, they found themselves to be in the middle of the town square of Gaia, the Gardevoirs' underground village. Gremlin and Joe were surrounded by nearly a thousand Gardevoirs, Kirlias and Ralts. They had their gentle gazes trained upon the confused Sableye and Haunter and spoke not a word. They were smiling as their chief stepped towards the surprised Sableye and Haunter.

"Gremlin, Joe," said Archimedes joyfully with a bright smile on his face, "My people and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Without your quick thinking and bravery, the entire forest would probably be in ruins within a matter of days. Also, many of my people, including myself and Tanya, would have been lost to that terrible wildfire."

"All in a day's work," said Gremlin, smiling as he shrugged his shoulders. The Gardevoir elder laughed to himself.

"Nonetheless, we have much to thank you for. We would all be honored if you would join me and my people to celebrate not just our victory over that wildfire and certain doom, but also the marriage of my son Hector and his wife Adelinda, which you witnessed earlier this morning," asked the chieftain, chuckling warmly while holding out his right hand in a gesture of friendship. As much as Gremlin wanted to stay, he still remembered he needed to leave the forest and make his way towards Alakaz as quickly as possible. There was no way he was going to place Grover, Joe and his Gardevoir friends in danger, not while agents of the Blight could be near.

"Your offer is gracious, indeed," said Gremlin with reluctance, "But I have to leave the forest with haste. You know why, your highness. I believe you spoke at great length with Grover about what could be transpiring." The chief's smile vanished in an instant, replaced with a frown and a look of dread. Even the huge crowd's mood had suddenly gone from jubilation to sadness.

"I understand why you must leave, Gremlin," said Archimedes with a nod of understanding, "But, if this is to be your last night here in these woods, then I beg you to please spend this time to celebrate with us. We have so much to be grateful for and it would give my people ample time to both thank you and wish you well on your upcoming journey. We could also help outfit you for your journey which lies ahead. Please…" Gremlin thought carefully about the chief's request. He certainly did not want to be rude or refuse such a generous offer. Gremlin did not have to think long before coming to a decision.

"Since you have asked so nicely, I would be honored to join you all in celebration!" said Gremlin with great happiness. With that, the psychic Pokémon began to cheer and shout with joy.

"Alright!" said Joe with glee, "Let's get this party started!" Crystal watched from a nearby home's balcony as the party began to unfold. However, soon the Sableye, Haunter and the myriad of delighted Gardevoirs, Kirlias and Ralts began to fade away as darkness overtook the entire village. Soon, the familiar surroundings of the Alakaz Dance Hall stage and auditorium began to fade into view, as did the awestruck Kirlia's husband. Gremlin smiled at his awestruck mate.

"What you have seen was but one of several steps in my journey," said Gremlin softly.

"That was incredible and so brave of you, Gremlin," said Crystal happily as she wrapped her arms around her loving mate, holding him tightly, "Do you think I'll ever get to meet Joe? Maybe we should visit Gaia someday, too?"

"I don't see why not," said Gremlin sweetly, "It's just a matter of trying to find him. I imagine Joe stayed behind to guard the forest. I haven't seen him since the day I left that place."

"Ooh!" said Crystal with excitement as she continued to embrace her handsome Sableye, "What happened next, Gremlin? How did you manage to get all the way to Alakaz on your own? Did you have to face the Blight or escape from them?" Gremlin just smiled as he leaned forward and kissed his lovely wife on her lips. He soon broke the kiss and then spoke softly and tenderly to Crystal.

"That, my love, will need to wait for another day," said Gremlin with a gentle voice, "It is almost nightfall now. I suspect that K-1 would not want us to be late for dinner and I was hoping you would like to dance with me for a little while longer before we go to our room for the night. Sound good to you, my beautiful little ballerina?" Crystal couldn't help but smile as she started to giggle with delight.

"Sounds like a wonderful plan you have there, Gremlin," said Crystal sweetly as she gazed into her lover's shining, gemstone eyes, "But where should we begin?" Before Gremlin could respond, K-1 started calling the two lovers from one of the upper floors of the cavernous building.

"Gremlin? Crystal?" called K-1 politely, "Dinner is ready! Please come to the dinning room before it gets cold! I think you will both love what I put together!" Crystal moved slightly to the right and called back to her robotic friend from over Gremlin's left shoulder.

"We'll be upstairs shortly, K-1!" said Crystal happily. She quickly returned her gaze to her smiling Sableye.

"Well, shall we be on our way?" asked Gremlin sweetly.

"Yes, let's," replied Crystal cheerfully.

"Shall I carry you, my dear?" asked Gremlin, flashing his mate a toothy and mischievous grin.

"Of course," said Crystal as she grinned, released her mate from her embrace and then took a few steps away from the grinning Sableye, "You little monster, you…" Gremlin cackled, stepped forward and wasted no time in taking Crystal up in his arms before again gently laying her over his left shoulder.

"To dinner, my love!" laughed Gremlin as he marched across the stage, "You have no choice and will never escape from me! Never!" Crystal laughed happily, kicking her legs and squirming in her Sableye's grasp yet again.

"Oh, no! My monster is forcing me to go to dinner with him!" said Crystal with joyful laughter, "What ever shall I do?" Crystal really enjoyed this little game of Gremlin's. Nonetheless, as Gremlin tenderly carried her through the spacious auditorium, the young Kirlia could only imagine what the next part of her husband's life story would be like. The possibilities of all the twists and turns in her lover's life were enough to make Crystal giggle with anticipation.


	5. Section 5

**-137-**

Yet another quiet day in the quaint village of Gardev was soon followed by a peaceful evening, but for Aura, this delightful day was far from over. The young Guardian was standing before her closet, sliding garments on hangers from the right to the left along a metal pole which had been secured to the side walls of the closet. She was looking for a particular outfit. Earlier in the morning, her new sister-in-law, Angel, had come by with Ramirez to return all the dresses which the master seamstress had finished modifying from the previous day.

"Getting my wings into my fancier clothing should be a breeze now," thought Aura with glee. The female Guardian had to keep searching for several more minutes through her menagerie of extra white and green gowns before Aura finally discovered what she had so feverishly tried to find. On the far right side of the closet, past her sky-blue ball gown and hidden behind her jewel-encrusted and sparkling wedding dress, the Guardian at last laid eyes on her white, shimmering ballet dress.

"Looks like I could have saved myself some trouble if I had started on this side of my closet after all," thought Aura, laughing softly to her self, "Well, no matter. I do believe it's time to finally bring this soft, old friend of mine out of retirement." As Aura lifted the fluffy garment out of the closet and tenderly removed it from its accompanying hanger, she could not help but think back to her days as a ballet student. Aura stepped back and took a seat on the large, cushy bed with her arms wrapped around the bodice of the full and very fluffy romantic tutu. The winged Gardevoir paused for a moment, closing her eyes. The memories from a fateful day, over six years ago, began to flood the mind of the young Guardian. Delightful music filled her mind while she thought back to what would be her last day in ballet class during the winter all those years ago in Olympus. Eleven other young, female Gardevoirs were dancing in a line with Aura in their traditional white dresses and slippers. Aura could remember everything: the smell of the dance studio, the gentle rustling of her skirt, the gentle tapping of her ballet slippers against the wooden floor, the bright sunlight streaming through a large open window behind her and the other dancers. Then, Aura could also remember how soft and light her ballet dress felt on her body while she was balancing on her tiptoes, carefully performing one technique after another in perfect unison with the other young ladies in her midst. The twelve dancers continued their graceful and dazzling performance under the watchful eyes of a single, female Gardevoir instructor. The young teacher's gentle gaze was fixed on her students at all times, watching for even the slightest misstep: she couldn't help but wonder which student would be the first to make a mistake or fall out of sync with her companions. Then again, this was Joyce's first day as the instructor of an expert-level ballet class. A few minutes passed and before long, surely enough, the performance ended without incident and completely flawless. The young teacher nodded her head appreciatively and clapped her hands together with a bright smile on her face.

"Well done!" said Joyce happily and with amazement, "That was absolutely wonderful!" One of the dancers near Aura giggled and spoke with a gentle voice.

"Well, this is an expert-level class," said the Gardevoir ballerina with a sweet smile, "You may recall that most of us have been learning how to dance for well over seven years and are nearing graduation." Joyce nodded her head in agreement.

"Well, this is my first day on the job here," said Joyce nervously, "I've spent all my days before today teaching beginner courses." The first ballerina smiled, nodding her head.

"I suppose you're used to a small mob of Kirlias drifting into each other, falling down on the dance floor and certainly needing a lot of encouragement and direction from their teacher," said another ballerina with warm laughter. Joyce couldn't help but laugh.

"That's no joke, either!" laughed Joyce, stepping forward to be closer to her students, "I still can't understand why Owen and Evelyn, the leaders of the city's Ballet Board, decided to promote me from teaching entry-level classes all the way to the expert-level just last week."

"I can understand why," said the first ballerina cheerfully, "I hear you are very talented. Isn't it true that you were the youngest dancer in this city to not only earn her tiara, but to also be promoted to the rank of instructor?"

"That's quite true," replied Joyce with a friendly smile, "I was awarded my tiara and the rank of Ballet Master when I was merely seven years old. Then, just three years later, I was given the opportunity to teach ballet. So, naturally, I accepted the offer: and this was just days after evolving into a Gardevoir."

"To be honest, I can't remember the last time a Kirlia dancer earned a tiara, let alone became an instructor," said Aura, running her right hand along the side of her soft skirt.

"Well, there is a Kirlia couple who are slated to become ballet teachers," said Joyce matter-of-factly, "But… I wasn't supposed to say that…" The young teacher laughed nervously while the twelve ballet students, including Aura were standing still, completely shocked at Joyce's statement.

"I thought the decisions of the Ballet Board were to remain a secret until the proper time," said Aura with concern.

"Oh, they are…" said Joyce with a heavy sigh, followed shortly by the young teacher drawing a deep breath, "But… well, I do hope you will all keep what I said a secret. The two dancers in question were married just a week ago and are on their honeymoon. Owen is going to wait until they return to work before announcing the Ballet Board's decision."

"You can count on me, Joyce," said one cheerful ballerina with a nod of affirmation, "I won't tell anyone."

"Me, too!" said another young dancer with a serious voice.

"I'll keep what you said a secret," said Aura softly and with a smile, "You can trust me."

"I know I can count on you and your friends, dear," said Joyce cheerfully, "I would expect nothing less from the first-born daughter of the Guardians of Gardev." Joyce sighed with relief as she turned her gaze upon a small, wooden clock mounted on the wall near the room's only doorway.

"Oh! Is it really 8 o'clock in the evening already?" said Joyce with disbelief, "I guess class is over for the day, then."

"Works for me," said yet another one of the young Gardevoir dancers, "It's been a long day and we have to start preparing for our upcoming recital."

"That's right!" said Aura eagerly, clenching her fists as she jumped up and down with joy, "We also have to choose dancing partners soon!" Joyce nodded her head.

"My husband should be done with his expert class now as well," stated Joyce, "Our classes will meet and combine into one next Saturday. Your assignment is to keep practicing and to find a male Gardevoir to work with during our next session. Oddly enough, there is one young man for each of you. Make sure you choose your partner wisely, because you will be dancing with him for several more months before the final exam." The talented ballerinas couldn't help but giggle at the prospect.

"If I remember correctly, many romances tend to start in ballet class," said one ballerina with glee.

"That is quite true," said Joyce with a nod of her head, "I'm living proof for ballet class is where I first met George. I never expected that one day my dancing partner would also become my mate. Now, I do believe it's time for everyone to get changed, pack up and head back home. I'll be looking forward to our next meeting together next week." Joyce turned her head slightly to face Aura and said with a cheerful voice, "Aura, I want to see you in my office before you leave. I have some very important matters to discuss with you."

"Am I in trouble?" asked Aura, now somewhat worried. Joyce smiled at her student in a reassuring manner.

"No, you aren't in trouble, silly," said Joyce with gentle laughter, "I just need to speak with you in the privacy of my office for a short while. Would you please follow me?" Aura took a quick glance around the room as the other ballerinas made their way out the door, many of them talking about the week ahead and who they wanted to pair up with.

"Okay, sensei," replied Aura softly with a nod. With that, Aura followed after Joyce as the young teacher made her way to the back office of the ballet studio. Once there, Joyce closed the door while Aura sat down on metal chair with a soft red cushion for its seat in front of a large, wooden desk.

"Just relax, Aura," said Joyce excitedly as she walked behind and then sat down in an office chair behind the dark oak desk, "I have some very good news for you."

"Alright," said a cheerful Aura, "What kind of news?" Joyce placed her hands on the smooth surface of the desk. The teacher smiled and spoke with a tender voice.

"Apparently, your former teacher, Hans, had a little conversation with the other members of the Ballet Board," said Joyce happily, "Now, I don't want the other students to know this, but after speaking with the other teachers for hours about your skills, Owen and his colleagues are considering awarding you your tiara. There is just one thing you must do." Aura took a deep breath and clasped her hands together in her lap, preparing herself for what Joyce might say next.

"You are going to perform for the Ballet Board in a private session," explained Joyce cheerfully, "In the next month, I am personally going to work with you to help you prepare and perfect a solo performance and a duet. If you can impress the other instructors, especially Owen and his wife, they will give you your tiara: several months sooner than your comrades. The other teachers believe, as I do, that you belong on stage and should begin performing as soon as reasonably possible."

"They really think I'm ready for real performances?" said a flabbergasted Aura as she stood up from her chair, "To perform in front of an audience in full costume?"

"That is correct, my dear," said Joyce with a bright smile. Aura paused, her enthusiasm abating for only a moment.

"But, who is going to be my dance partner for the duet performance?" asked Aura worriedly, "Are you?"

"No," was a smiling Joyce's blunt answer, "Another, equally-talented dancer will be performing solo before the ballet board the same day as you and then with you in the duet."

"Ooh!" said Aura with renewed excitement, "But who is it?"

"Why, your brother Ramirez," replied a happy Joyce.

"Really?" said Aura, even more shocked than before, "I knew my brother was good, but I had no idea he was THAT good of a dancer!" Joyce nodded her head as she leaned back, reclining in her black leather chair.

"Believe it," said Joyce with pride, "I must say, Aura, you and your brother are going places in the world of ballet. I would not be surprised if, one day, you were to become a ballet teacher yourself." Aura laughed and nodded her head.

"And what about my brother?" asked Aura happily, "Don't you think he would make a great teacher as well?"

"I must be truthful: Ramirez is not being considered for promotion to the rank of instructor," replied Joyce with a friendly smile, "Despite his enthusiasm for dance and immense talent, he shows no desire to teach, whereas you do. In fact, you have wanted to be a ballet teacher for much of your life." Aura couldn't help herself as she broke out into laughter.

"How does anyone know about that?" asked Aura, her face turning red with embarrassment, "I've never even told my parents what I want to do with my life!"

"You told your brother, though," said Joyce, standing up from her chair, "And in turn, he told me when I asked him some questions about how determined you are to master our sacred dance. Believe me, Aura: you have the potential and also possess great talent to boot. You're only twelve years old and being considered for your tiara. You are the youngest student in my class while Ramirez is the youngest student in his class, too. Aura, you may not have noticed, but the next youngest dancer in any of the expert-level ballet classes is 15 years old. Without a doubt, you and your brother are very gifted dancers. Now, I'm not supposed to say this either, but I feel that I must: they even expect you will earn your sash within only a matter of years as a performer. You may recall that earning the instructor's sash usually takes decades of devotion and hard work. George, the newlywed Kirlia couple and myself have been the only exceptions to this trend during the last several centuries. This is mostly because of not just how gifted we are in dance, but also the willingness we all have to work with and help others." Aura couldn't help but look down at the shimmering red sash wrapped around Joyce's waist, tied in place with a bow on her right side. Aura wondered if perhaps earning the sash and starting her own ballet studio one day would be her destiny.

"I think that's every ballerina's dream," said Aura with amazement, and immense determination, "I'm going to work as hard as possible and practice whenever I can."

"I know you will dear, I know you will," said Joyce with great happiness. Aura still remembered that fateful night as clear as day. Why, the young Gardevoir was so excited, she had not even bothered to change out of her ballet dress and slippers before starting on her way home. After saying goodbye to Joyce, Aura made her way down the dark and quiet streets of the Gardevoir metropolis. With her parents serving as the Guardians of Gardev, she rarely saw them. Nonetheless, Alexander and Aurora had encouraged Aura to pursue a career in ballet as well as to move to the hidden Gardevoir city, where she now shared a home with her young brother Ramirez, younger brother Fredrick and her young sister, Anna. As Aura soon approached her home, she felt like she was on top of the world: so happy and so excited about the future. However, if there was anything the young Gardevoir had learned, it was how fate could be just as horrid as it could be wondrous. She stepped through the front door of the quaint, yet spacious 2-story white marble building with her regular white gown and pants draped over her left shoulder, utterly perplexed as to why her house was so quiet and so dark. None of the torches in the rooms were lit and nobody seemed to be home. Aura closed the front door right behind her and locked it tight, wondering what was going on. The silence was unnerving, almost as eerie as the darkness all about the usually bright and cheerful home. Aura laid her usual clothes on a nearby chair and had barely started towards the living room when she heard a knock at the front door. A familiar voice spoke softly, yet with some urgency in his voice.

"Aura? Are you there?" asked Wallace the Gallade from the other side of the door. Without hesitation, Aura quickly turned around, dashed towards the door and opened it with haste.

"Is something wrong?" asked Aura fearfully, "Wallace, have you seen my siblings? I don't understand why they aren't here." The sage Gallade took a deep breath and gulped loudly. It was only when Aura saw the fear and despairing in the Gallade's eyes that she knew something horrible had happened.

"Wallace, what's going on?" asked Aura, now more worried than before. It took everything the old Gallade had to not show the grief that was consuming him.

"The head elder, your great-great-grandfather, needs to see you at the palace at once," explained Wallace, "Ramirez, Fredrick and Anna were escorted there just minutes ago. We have no time to waste. I'll take you to the elders' chamber at once." Before Aura could react, her vision was overtaken by an intense flash of light. For but a few brief seconds, Aura felt like she was being propelled forward through an endless abyss of light. A few moments later, the intense illumination faded and Aura now found herself standing in the middle of the elders' chamber at the palace. Her three siblings were standing at her right side while the elders, on a raised platform, looked down from their golden desks upon the four worried Pokémon. The head elder, Glacian, rose from his chair and addressed his compatriots.

"Gentlemen: this is a family matter," said Glacian in a serious manner, "I must tend to this alone with my great-great-grandchildren." The other six elders, all of them elderly male Gardevoir, merely nodded their heads. They spoke not a word as they stood up from their desks and proceeded to leave the cavernous, dimly-lit chamber in a short procession. Once the six Gardevoirs had left the room, Glacian closed his eyes for but a moment as Aura and her siblings heard every door in the chamber suddenly close and lock themselves tight. Four chairs alongside a wall behind Aura, Ramirez, Fredrick and Anna slid forward, coming to a stop just behind the young Pokémon. Glacian motioned for his family members to take a seat as an uneasy silence overtook the chamber. Glacian stepped down from the dais and soon was standing before his family.

"Is something wrong, Glacian?" asked Anna softly and with uneasiness abounding in her usually sweet voice, "What happened? Why are we here?" Glacian knelt before the young Pokémon, choking back tears as he tenderly put his arms around his descendants, gathering them close.

"Something terrible has happened," said Glacian, his grief quickly getting the better of him, "Brace yourselves, young ones, for I bear horrible news…" The sage Gardevoir held the two young Gardevoirs, Kirlia and Ralts tightly and close to his body. As tears streamed down Glacian's face, he spoke slowly and with a gentle voice, desperately hoping he could soften the blow his news was about to inflict.

"There was a problem in Gardev…" said a despairing Glacian, "My children… your parents have gone missing…" At first, Aura and her siblings were not sure what to think; however, Aura and Ramirez knew all too well that what was now happening was no joke. Anna, a young Kirlia, looked at Glacian, her head cocked to one side with a look of complete bewilderment on her face.

"Say what?" asked Anna, "Where did my mom and dad go?"

"No one knows, Anna… by God no one knows…" replied Glacian, "They've been missing for several days, so I sent a search party out to the village to scour the valley and dense forests… All Wallace and his men found of them… were their pendants…" The chamber fell silent for several unbearable minutes. Aura, Ramirez, Fredrick and Anna were completely aghast. No one said a word for some time and Glacian continued to hold his great-great-grandchildren close: he knew all too well what was coming. Suddenly, Anna broke into tears, wailing loudly as she wrapped her arms around Glacian. The sage Gardevoir placed his right hand on Anna's back: he gently stroked the saddened Kirlia, trying to console her.

"How can that be?" shouted Fredrick, now overcome with grief while he quickly fell into a panic, "What could have happened to them, Glacian? Where's our mom and dad?"

"Quiet down, Fredrick, please…" begged Glacian, "After several days of searching, Wallace and his men found nothing more. They found not a trace of what happened. We can only assume they were taken by poachers… or worse…"

"Are they dead?" screamed Anna.

"I'm afraid we don't know…" answered Glacian, "Whether they were captured or killed, I'm afraid we will never see them again…"

"What are we supposed to do then?" asked Ramirez softly, wiping tears from his cheeks. Glacian held the young Pokémon all the closer to his body and spoke softly once again.

"I'll tell you what we must do," started Glacian as he took a deep breath, "We will have to be strong in the coming days, especially since Aura… will have to leave this city…"

"Wait!" said Aura with disbelief, not even sure if anything she was experiencing was real anymore, "Why do I have to leave? I have a major ballet test in a month! So does Ramirez! Glacian, all we have to do is pass a single test from the Ballet Board, then my brother and I will have our tiaras!" Glacian turned his soft gaze upon the departed Guardians' eldest daughter.

"Aura… do you not understand the implications here?" asked Glacian, trying his best not to sound harsh, "You are Alexander and Aurora's eldest daughter. With them no longer able to tend to their duties, you must become the next Guardian of Gardev. Aura… I never would have wished any of this on you, your family or even my worst enemies, if I had foes…"

"What does this mean?" asked a saddened Anna with a sniffle, "My sister has to move away?"

"I'm afraid so…" said Glacian as he hung his head low with grief, "Aura, my dear daughter… you have no choice in the matter. You will have to live in Gardev for probably the rest of your life. This means you will have to forgo everything here in my city… I'm so sorry, Aura, but that means you will have to give up your career as a dancer… You cannot perform here as your duties state that you must reside in the village at all times."

"So… all those years of work and I'm going to have to give up ever getting my tiara or becoming a teacher?" asked Aura with growing anger, "Why me? Why must I leave my home and everything behind in order to watch over a stupid, dying village? I won't do it, Glacian! I refuse!"

"That's enough!" shouted Glacian, glaring at his great-great-granddaughter, bringing his left hand towards Aura's face. He pointed towards her nose, which was shrouded under her thick green hair. Aura was stunned, her eyes opened wide and her jaw hanging slack as Glacian spoke with hot anger in his voice.

"You will never speak ill of Gardev again, is that clear?" snarled Glacian, "Aura, don't make this any harder for us than it already is." Anna was crying loudly in fear of both Glacian and her angered sister.

"Forgive me, Anna…" said Glacian, closing his eyes as he again spoke with a gentle voice, "Forgive me, Aura. My daughter, our kind has watched over that village for nearly a thousand years. Ever since the village's founder saved a member of our family from certain death in the valley below our mountain, one member of our family has always served as the village's protector. It is the duty of the Guardians of Gardev to protect the people and their homes from disaster and rogue Pokémon. Our ancestors made an oath to Gardev's founder nearly a millennium ago and we will not break that oath. We owe that man dearly for saving that Gardevoir ancestor of ours. The current mayor of Gardev, Warren Allens, is the only human on earth alive who knows the location of our hidden city, up here in the glacier's of Mt. Ivory."

"But why do we owe them protection?" demanded Aura, "Why do I all of a sudden have to forsake my dancing to live down there with just the humans? Why?"

"Aura… that village's founder also saved our great city from being pillaged by a marauding samurai army," explained Glacian calmly, "If he had not acted quickly with the help of the first Guardians of Gardev, everyone here would have been captured and forced to fight alongside the humans as weapons of war. Originally, the first Guardians stayed in Gardev to protect the fledgling village, but after we found out about the invasion that would surely have destroyed the largest Gardevoir settlement on earth, our family, who has ruled this city since it was founded, made an oath to repay the man and his descendants by protecting the village and its residents for the rest of time in gratitude." Aura growled with indignation

"But why me?" asked Aura with growing impatience and malice, "Why can't someone else go down there and take over as the Guardian?" Glacian stared straight into Aura's eyes as he placed his left hand on her back.

"Aura, I am too old to take up the duties," answered Glacian bluntly, "Besides, I already served as Guardian several years ago, before my wife gave her life to save the village from an avalanche. Once the Guardians' pendants are passed down to the next generation, they can only be given to the next Guardians' descendants. Aura, we are all that is left of our family. Surely you don't expect your younger siblings to take on such a task! Aura, you are young and I know you don't understand, but for the sake of the people who live down there and depend on us for their lives, livelihoods and because of our ancestors' solemn oath, you have to accept the mantle of the Guardians."

"And if I refuse?" demanded Aura with a sneer. Before Aura could say another word, Glacian reached behind his back with his right hand and produced a pendant with a large, smooth ruby three inches across, set into fine gold with a golden chain. Glacian then hastily put the pendant around Aura's neck. Aura looked down, the pendant resting against her chest as the deep red ruby glowed with a bright red light for a few moments before the red illumination faded away.

"I'm sorry, Aura…" whimpered Glacian as he put both of his arms around the shocked ballerina, tears streaming down his face, "…You have no choice…"

"But… but I…" stammered Aura with disbelief, "Glacian! I… I don't understand any of this!"

"I know…" said Glacian somberly as he embraced Aura tightly, "But you soon will…" Ramirez gently placed his right hand on Glacian's right shoulder.

"Glacian?" asked Ramirez, "What should my siblings and I do?" The sage Gardevoir looked upon his oldest great-great-grandson.

"Please take Fredrick and Anna home," asked Glacian, "Comfort them as best you can. Aura and I need to be alone for now."

"I understand," said Ramirez. With that, Ramirez tenderly took his grieving sister up in his arms and the young Kirlia out of the elders' chamber with Fredrick walking alongside his older brother. They slowly and somberly made their way towards their home not far from the palace. Meanwhile, back in the elders' chamber, Aura was tightly clutching onto the pendant in her hands, wanting to tear the horrible artifact off her neck and then throw it out the nearest window.

"Don't do that!" snapped Glacian, anger abounding in his voice once again, "Aura, you may be the youngest Gardevoir ever appointed as Guardian, but you have to accept your destiny."

"I can't do this, Glacian! I'll run away if I have to!" said Aura clenching her fists around the pendant. Glacian's patience with Aura had officially run out as the angered sage Gardevoir placed his hands on the sides of the dancer's head and held her close to his face.

"Come with me," said Glacian, barely holding back his rage, "Now…" Aura took fast and shallow breaths, now terrified of Glacian as she had never before seen him so angry.

"Can… can this wait until morning?" asked Aura softly.

"No," was Glacian's blunt reply as he released his grip on Aura's head and stood up before her, "I have something to show you and it cannot wait." Aura nodded her head, slowly stood up with the soft rustling of her petticoats being the only sound to break the horrid silence in the chamber.

"I'll follow you," said Aura, with a quick nod of her head.

"Good," said Glacian as he walked towards the double-doors at Aura's right, the main entrance and exit of the elders' chamber. The terrified, female Gardevoir followed closely behind Glacian as he led her through the darkened palace. They came to a stop once they were deep in the massive marble building and stood before a set of tall and heavily decorated white marble doors. A pair of Gallades standing guard at this doorway nodded their heads in reply to an unspoken order and promptly pushed open the immense and heavy stone doors. Glacian motioned for Aura to follow, which she did. The moment the two Gardevoirs had stepped into the pitch-black room, the Gallades quickly shut the doors. Aura's breathing was fast and her heart was racing with fear.

"Where are we?" asked Aura, almost overcome with sheer terror.

"We have arrived at the throne room," replied Glacian with a soft voice as light from hundreds of torches on the walls slowly but surely filled the room with bright light, "It has been many years since anyone has stepped into this chamber." Aura was absolutely shocked, wondering if this was just some sort of nightmare, hoping she would soon awake and not have to bear the burden that had just been forced upon her.

"Aura," said Glacian tenderly, "Please forgive me. I know you are overwhelmed and scared, but you truly have nothing to fear."

"What is this place?" asked Aura, still in shock as she looked about the cavernous room. The ceiling seemed like it was over one hundred feet away and every inch of it was decorated with carved shapes, pictures and paintings. The room seemed to be 100 feet wide as well with a long, fifteen-foot wide red carpet extending from the main doors nearly two hundred feet down to the opposite side of the room, where a pair of golden and wooden thrones sat on a dais, also covered with red carpet. Large, colorful paintings and tapestries adorned almost every square inch of the lower half of the walls while monumental stain glass windows made up the upper half of all the walls.

"This is where this hidden city was ruled several years ago," replied Glacian, "The throne room was closed off after the last king passed away. Since then, I have ruled this utopian metropolis, taking up the title of Head Elder. In the past, our family ruled here as kings, queens, princes and princesses of the realm." Aura's breathing slowed as her fear was soon replaced with wonder and curiosity.

"Really?" asked Aura, "Then how come you are not king?"

"That is a long story," replied Glacian as he walked up to and then stood at Aura's right side, "One that will have to be saved for another day." Glacian extended his right hand and pointed at a twenty-foot tall painting that lie before them.

"Behold, the paintings and tapestries," said Glacian, his voice echoing in the massive room, "Each one tells a story about our past and the history of our home in the Gardev Region." Aura stepped towards the painting before her. The image was of a pair of Gardevoir's floating in the air with an armored man standing between them in the background. In the foreground, hundreds of humans in samurai armor were fleeing from strange apparitions, which looked like horrible creatures that surrounded the flank of their forces. The samurai had looks of sheer terror on their faces: even the warriors wearing fearsome masks clearly appeared to be utterly horrified. Around the neck of what appeared to be a female Gardevoir on the left of the armored man in the background, Aura saw the very pendant that now resided around her neck. An intense red light emanated from the large jewel while blue light radiated outwards from the pendant worn by a male Gardevoir on the opposite side of the armored man. Glacian came alongside Aura again and extended his right hand to point at the two Gardevoirs and the armored man they were alongside.

"That man is the founder of Gardev," explained Glacian, "What you see here is not a legend or a tall tale, Aura. This actually happened. These Gardevoirs are also the first Guardians of Gardev. Believe me, Aura, if that samurai army had not been driven away, we would not be standing here. If we were born at all, we would still be in bondage, probably forced into doing unspeakable things to humans and Pokémon alike."

"I see," said Aura, her eyes wide with amazement, "But… what does this have to do with me?

"Much," answered Glacian, his gentle voice becoming a great comfort for the shaken ballerina, "The first Guardians helped protect Gardev from the natural disasters which plague the valley at the base of Mt. Ivory. Then, in turn, the founder of Gardev used his quick thinking and resourcefulness to have the Guardians of Gardev create apparitions of monsters and demons to frighten away the superstitious samurai. He protected our homes and our people here on Mt. Ivory. He risked his life to stop that enemy army's forward march and the Guardians helped him succeed. That throng of mighty and evil warriors had not even come anywhere close to the village of Gardev."

"What a brave man…" said Aura with astonishment as she stood still, her arms hanging limply at her sides, "He didn't have to do this… and the Guardians didn't have to do anything to protect areas outside the village, did they?"

"You are correct," replied Glacian, "They only went scouting into the wilderness at the insistence of Gardev's founder. Again I repeat, if they had not routed the samurai army, all would have been lost here in our city nearly a thousand years ago."

"So…" said Aura, looking down at the ruby pendant around her neck as she gently held the relic in her white hands, "We watch over Gardev and in return… Gardev watches over us…"

"Exactly," said Glacian with a smile on his face and a single tear streamed down his face. Aura turned to face her great-great-grandfather with a look of unshakable determination and courageousness on her face.

"I think I understand now," said Aura firmly.

"Do you also understand what you must do?" asked Glacian.

"I do," said Aura resolutely, with pride and great courage, "I am the Guardian of Gardev." Glacian nodded his head, a bright smile on his face while he stepped up to Aura as he laid his hands on her shoulders.

"You do realize you aren't giving up everything that you are and have," said Glacian reassuringly, "You may take whatever possessions you have with you. Also, your brothers and sister can come and visit you whenever you want." Aura glanced down at her ballet dress and took a deep breath.

"Being a great dancer is nothing compared to the burden I now must bear," said a very determined Aura, "The people in Gardev depend on me and I depend on them."

"Yes, indeed," said Glacian, "You have a great honor, privilege and tradition which you must steadfastly uphold. I know you can do it, Aura. I do believe, with all of my heart, that you will be one of the greatest Guardians this land has seen in ages." It wasn't until Aura returned home later on that the full meaning of what had happened that night hit her. The young Guardian cried most of the night, grieving for her lost parents and knowing her life would never be the same again. She let her siblings sleep peacefully, knowing they would need all the strength they could muster in the days ahead. Aura could not sleep, so she began to pack her belongings and treasures well into the rest of the night. She barely even noticed when the sun began to rise and by that time, all her clothes, knick-knacks and other belongings had been packed into a few wooden crates which she had found in the home's basement.

"Aura? Are you okay?" asked a familiar voice in a friendly tone. Aura turned around fast and laid eyes on her older brother.

"I think I'll be okay, Ramirez," said Aura as she slid the lid over the final crate she had packed. Ramirez came alongside his sister, who was still wearing her ballet attire.

"Anything I can do to help?" asked Ramirez softly.

"Yes," replied Aura, "Take good care of our siblings, yourself and your home. As for me, looks like I have a lot of growing up to do and I have to do it quickly."

"As you wish, sis," said Ramirez with a nod of his head, "Still, don't you think you should change out of your ballet dress and slippers?" Aura froze for a few moments and then looked down at the shimmering, embroidered satin garment, covering her body.

"Good idea," said Aura, "I better pay a visit to the ballet studio before I leave the city." No sooner had the young Gardevoir finished her statement when she and Ramirez heard someone knocking at the front door.

"I'll get it. You should get changed," said Ramirez as he left the room. Aura wasted no time in momentarily taking off the pendant before she removed the dress, slippers and the white bloomers she wore under her tutu for the sake of modesty. In a matter of minutes, Aura was again in the typical white and green gown that all of her kind wore day to day. Just when she had the ruby pendant back around her neck, she heard someone knocking on the door to her now empty-bedroom. A gruff voice spoke softly through the door.

"Guardian Aura," said Wallace from the other side of the door, "Ramirez tells me you are ready to depart for Gardev. Is this true?" Aura took the beautiful ballet attire up in her arms, cradling the garments and shoes in her arms.

"All my things are packed," replied Aura, "I'm ready to go, but I have one stop I need to make before leaving. I must visit Joyce at her ballet studio."

"Okay," said Wallace, "We have little time, but I think we can manage going there as long as we leave in a few minutes. I'll have my men carry your belongings."

"Good. I'll be down shortly," said Aura.

"Very good, for we must hurry," said Wallace hastily, "We have to leave the city before more and more of the people awake."

"Why does she have to leave so soon?" demanded Ramirez from behind Wallace, "And why did you bring so many guards?"

"Do you really not understand?" asked Wallace with stark disbelief, "Aura is now the Guardian of Gardev. Since she is unmarried, once word gets out that she is the Guardian, droves of male suitors will pursue her relentlessly until we leave the city. Aura is only 12 years old. She has enough to bear with as it is than try and deal with male Gardevoirs who are not aware that she is too young for marriage." Aura took a deep, slow breath, managing to keep herself from going into a panic.

"Do I have time to say goodbye to Fredrick and Anna?" asked Anna. Wallace let out a heavy sigh.

"Please don't think me as heartless, milady," said Wallace hesitantly, "But we must move quickly."

"It's okay, Aura," said Ramirez, "Just let them sleep. It's going to be a rough day for all of us and we can all come and visit you later this afternoon."

"Very well," said Aura. Barely a minute passed before Aura had made her way out of the house and stepped out on the front porch. Once outside, she saw that every Gallade in the city had gathered at her former home. After hugging her brother and saying goodbye, she and the Gallades marched off towards the ballet studio. Needless to say, Joyce was astounded to see all the Elite Guards gathered outside her studio. The young teacher was even more shocked when Aura came into her office wearing the legendary pendant of the Guardians of Gardev. A few minutes passed before the astonished ballet teacher could speak.

"My word!" said Joyce with disbelief, "Aura, my dear! What's going on here? Are you really the Guardian of Gardev now?"

"I am," said Aura, still cradling her lavish ballet attire in her arms, "I have to leave the city at once. I don't think I'm ever going to be able to continue my studies as a ballerina." Joyce, adorned in her own ballet attire came alongside Aura.

"I understand, Aura," said Joyce with a tender voice and a nod of her head, "Being a Guardian is a greater honor than being a ballet dancer or even a teacher. Owen and the rest of the ballet board will be very proud of you."

"Yes," said Aura, fighting back tears as she started to hand Joyce her ballet attire, "But, I'm never going to need this dress again. Please take it, Joyce. I want you to lock it away in here: someplace where I'll never find it." Joyce stepped in front of Aura and looked deep into the young Guardian's eyes.

"Aura," said Joyce softly, "I think you should keep it." The young Guardian stared at the ballet teacher with a look of utter disbelief on her face.

"But why?" asked Aura as she began to weep, "I'm never going to be able to earn my tiara now… It's best I leave this here and forget about ever being a dancer…" Joyce tenderly pushed the fluffy dress back into the cradle of Aura's arms.

"You don't know what the future holds, Aura," said Joyce softly and with a sweet smile, "You have talent and determination: never forget that and never forget what you've learned. You still may become a great dancer and I know you will also become a great Guardian. If the good Lord allows it, you can always come back one day and earn your tiara, maybe even teach ballet like you've wanted to since you were just a Ralts."

"How did you know about my wish?" asked Aura, the young Gardevoir still crying but now with a smile on her face.

"Your brother told me all about it, remember? We talked about this yesterday," replied Joyce happily, "I wish you luck on your journey and that you will enjoy your new home in the village. I would journey there myself to continue teaching you, but for now, Glacian has forbidden anyone from this city from journeying to Gardev. That is, except for members of his family: at least for the time being."

"I'll never forget you, Joyce," said Aura with sadness, "Please tell Hans, my former teacher, 'Thank you' for me."

"I'll be sure to do that for you, Aura," said a hopeful Joyce, "We may have only worked together for but a single day, but I know you will do your job and do it very, very well indeed." Once Aura had left the studio, the small army of Gallades teleported the young Guardian and her things to Gardev where the friendly mayor of Gardev, Warren, and his equally kind-hearted grandson, Jake, were waiting for her. The Gallades helped Aura get situated in her new room, which only took a matter of minutes. Once the Gallades wished her well, they teleported out of the village all at once. As promised, Ramirez, Anna and Fredrick did visit Aura that afternoon. They were all deeply grieved due to the sudden loss of their loving parents. Still, having each other's company did much to help lift their spirits. Sadly, Aura's siblings could not stay as Fredrick and Anna needed to attend school in the hidden Gardevoir metropolis. They promised to visit again the next day before departing back to their home. As for Aura, the first night on her own in the Gardev mansion was the worst she could ever remember. The part she hated the most was having to sleep in the same room and on the same bed where her parents, no doubt, had spent their last happy moments together before they would head out into the woods that fateful day and towards their uncertain fate. Aura could clearly remember sitting on the bed in the exact same place she was sitting now, cradling her ballet dress in her arms while weeping bitterly. The female Guardian opened her eyes as she came back into reality, wanting to reminisce about what happened over six years ago no longer. Time had done little to dull the pain she had felt that night so long ago. Still, having to give up her passion and dreams of dancing were nothing compared to the loss of Alexander and Aurora, as well as having to live as the only Gardevoir for miles and miles around. Then there was the burden of protecting the village on her own for over three long years. However, things had only gotten better from there for Aura. Warren, Jake and his wife Makoto quickly befriended their Gardevoir companion, as did every single one of the village's few remaining residents. Then, there was the little girl, named Sakura, who would eventually help care for an orphaned Kirlia, which she would soon end up naming after herself. Aura also became stronger over the years, despite not being able to use the power her pendant possessed for quite some time. Aura looked down at her ballet dress: the white satin and decorative embroidery all over the garment shimmered brightly in the light of the bedroom. The young Gardevoir sighed happily.

"So much has changed…" thought Aura as one last tear trickled down her face, "A little over three years ago, Dr. Mack Foxx came into my life and then saved not just me, but my parents. Eventually, he would help me save my own people and the city of Olympus, but not before he changed into a Gardevoir as a result of getting his spirit bound with my body and mind for a time. Mack almost ended up giving his life alongside me in our final battle with Dr. Namwen. Now, he is my loving and devoted husband: my pretty prince. Ramirez is now married as well to Angel, the master seamstress, and now we all watch over Gardev together." Aura laid the dress out over her lap and lightly ran her fingers over the ever-so-soft Gardevoir satin.

"Joyce was right," thought Aura, smiling happily as she picked up the soft garment and held it out at an arm's length, admiring the workmanship that had gone into creating such a fine piece of clothing, "We did not know what the future held and the Lord has brought so many wonderful people and opportunities into my life. Now, since the people of Olympus are no longer forbidden from coming to this village and all is peaceful, I can indeed take up dancing again. I can only hope that Mack will join me… Maybe both of us can work together to earn our tiaras and become masters of our ancient and wonderful dance: ballet." Aura stood up, turned around and laid her dancing dress over the bed. The young Gardevoir giggled with glee as she then walked back to her closet to collect her ballet slippers and white, puffy bloomers.

"Maybe, just maybe," thought Aura as she walked up to her bed and started to take off her usual gown, "I can still become a teacher. Maybe even Mack might become a ballet instructor, too? That way we can both teach our children how to dance together." Aura couldn't help but blush and giggle with glee at the thought of getting to bear and raise children with her handsome and loving mate. Before long, Aura had taken off the usual Gardevoir gown and pants, laying them on her bed. Aura and now stood in her modest white undergarments. She quickly put on her bloomers and then took up the ballet dress in her arms. Her skin tingled and she got goose-bumps from immense anticipation. This was going be the first time she had worn her ballet dress in years: not since the day she had become a Guardian of Gardev.

"Well," thought Aura with a bright smile on her face, "This pretty thing isn't going to put itself on me." Aura knelt down, gently setting the dress on the floor as she spread open the bodice and made sure the sleeves were not inside-out.

"Here we go…" thought Aura happily as she stepped into the dress and then bent over slightly, just enough to get her hands on the shoulders of her garment. Aura moved slowly, savoring every bit of the moment as she pulled the soft dress up her body. The soft material itself felt like a dream as it caressed her body. Then, Aura carefully pushed her hands into and all the way to the ends of the long sleeves. She carefully slid her wings through the freshly-cut slits in the upper back of the bodice. Aura couldn't help but shudder, thoroughly enjoying herself as she finally had the dress on for the first time in a very long time. The Guardian was smiling as she stepped up to and then put her back towards the tall mirror in the back right corner of the room. She watched closely, her eyes glowing with a subtle blue light, using her power of telekinesis to button up the wing slits and then lace up the bodice of the dress. Once the twin buttons on the back of the standup collar were locked into place, Aura couldn't help but laugh with sheer delight.

"At long last!" thought Aura with immeasurable joy, "I'm ready to dance again!" It didn't take the young Guardian long to realize she had almost forgotten one final and very important part of her ballet ensemble.

"Oh, yeah… I forgot the slippers," thought Aura, laughing warmly to herself. She knelt down on the floor near her slippers. She took turns using one hand to get each slipper on while her other hand help up the front of her tutu just enough so she could see what she was doing. Once the slippers where in place, Aura leapt to her feet and stood on her tip-toes.

"If this is a dream, I hope I never wake up…" thought a very happy Aura. Again, she paused for a moment to rethink things.

"Scratch that," thought Aura, laughing quietly to herself, "The real dream would be Mack joining me." Aura walked to the large mirror near her vanity. The ¾ length ball gown with its full skirt and layers upon layers of soft petticoats under the skirt still fit perfectly. The large white bow and trailing ribbons on the back of the dress, just above the waist, still shimmered brightly with no trace of wrinkles, wear or tears on any part of the dress. Aura took a deep breath, preparing herself for what surely would happen next.

"Now…" thought Aura once again, "Where can I dance…?" Sure enough, only a few moments passed before the perfect place came to mind. Aura snapped her fingers at the realization.

"Of course!" said Aura with glee to herself, "What better place to dance than the ballroom?" Aura wasted no time in rushing through the mansion's stairwells and hallways before she came to her destination. The ballroom was still brightly lit, but also completely devoid of people and other Pokémon, which was good as far as Aura was concerned. The female Gardevoir could only wonder and hope she still knew how to dance or if the escapade she was about to embark on would only be fit for another episode of Gardev's Funniest Home Videos. Only moments earlier, Mack had been about to leave one of the mansion's game rooms when he saw a white flash of some kind go running down the hallway.

"What on earth…?" thought Mack as he saw a winged Gardevoir running down the corridor, dressed as a ballerina. Out of curiosity, Mack followed after the Gardevoir, all the way to the ballroom. Once there, he hid behind a partially-closed door in the dimly-lit hallway. He peeked over the edge of the heavy, wooden door, laying eyes on the beautiful dancer that now stood before him with her back towards him. Mack quickly recognized the Gardevoir as his lovely wife, Aura.

"Oh! I see Aura still fits quite well in her ballet dress," thought Mack, blushing slightly as he observed Aura, "She looks so beautiful… I wonder what she's going to do…" The young ballerina took a deep breath as she stood up on her tip-toes. She opened and flapped her wings a few times before folding them up behind her back again.

"Let's see… what to do…" thought Aura, standing still as a statue for a number of minutes, thinking hard as she tried to remember her training, "Ah! I know…" Aura closed her eyes and Mack watched with amazement as his mate started to dance before him. She moved slowly and gracefully, needing no music as she began to relearn the techniques and steps she had nearly forgotten altogether over the years. Mack watched closely, enthralled as Aura continued to dance, completely oblivious to his presence. Things only got better and more exciting as Aura was soon leaping and twirling about the empty dance floor. Mack's little, private ballet performance continued for well over half an hour before Aura ended up kneeling in the exact same place she started, facing away from her mate and still not realizing that he had been watching her the whole time. Aura slowly spread out her arms and wings while leaning forward, bowing her head when she then, slowly and gracefully, lay down on her back on the floor. Mack quickly hid behind the door, out of sight right before Aura opened her eyes. The young ballerina, her talents reborn, gasped with surprise, wondering if someone had seen her dancing. Deep down, she hoped someone had seen her little performance after all. Aura quickly got back on her feet and decided she still did not want to be seen in her ballet attire by anyone at this point.

"I have a lot to relearn before I'm ready to perform for anyone," thought Aura with great determination, "And nothing is going to stop me this time!" Mack leaned flat against the wall at his back as Aura came running out of the ballroom, went right past him and started running down the hallway, still unaware of her mate's presence. Mack was utterly amazed: not at the fact that Aura had completely unnoticed him, but at just how skilled and wonderful a ballerina his wife really was. He couldn't help but wonder if perhaps some of her ballet lessons and talent had rubbed off on him when he and Aura had been fused together in the young Gardevoir's body over three years ago. Mack wasn't sure why, but he now felt like he needed to dance as well. He did not feel embarrassed nor did the Guardian feel worried about the thought of learning ballet. Instead, he had a great sense of confidence because, not only did he think he could learn ballet, but for some reason, he felt like he already knew exactly how to dance with all the grace and wonder Aura had just demonstrated. Mack let out a heavy sigh.

"I'm never going to hear the end of this one…" thought Mack, chuckling nervously as he leisurely made his way towards his bedroom for the night, "Heh… Angel's gonna blow a gasket when I see her tomorrow. That's for sure…"


	6. Section 6

**-138A-**

Another delightful day had passed for Gremlin and Crystal. The time was 5:57 in the evening. Normally, dinner would have been served to the newlyweds by K-1 and his small robotic army by now. However, the meal had to be delayed for another hour as another hundred or so Pidgeys and Spearows had accumulated on the roof during the previous night and during much of the day. To pass the time, Gremlin and Crystal had decided to simply enjoy dancing together on the large stage. After spending the previous hours waltzing and practicing ballet in their wedding attire, the young lovers decided to mix things up a bit for the early evening. Hawaiian music, being played on an old record player, filled the auditorium as Gremlin taught Crystal some basic techniques for a slow hula dance.

"Gremlin, I don't mean to complain," said Crystal, giggling nervously, wearing a flower lei around her neck with alternating bands of red and yellow flowers, "But I really don't think a wedding dress is suitable attire for Polynesian dancing."

"I agree. These heavy and fluffy skirts make hip movements rather difficult," said Gremlin shrugging his shoulders sheepishly, a blue lei lying around his neck, "You did say you wanted to try something different, but there is that Gardevoir tradition where we have to wear our wedding attire as much as possible for our two-week honeymoon. Just follow my lead, for now. I can always make us better costumes when we get back to Olympus." Crystal giggled happily and blushed.

"Do you think hula would catch on in Olympus if we were to try teaching it?" asked Crystal cheerfully.

"Probably," was Gremlin's hopeful reply, "Ballet requires a high level of skill and grace, much like hula, so I can imagine others in Olympus wanting to learn and probably excelling in other forms of dancing. Perhaps we can start up special dance classes and hold them on days when we aren't teaching ballet."

"Sounds good to me, my dear," said a happy Crystal, "Although I do hope you will teach me how to dance as good as you can before we try teaching a full class." Crystal was following Gremlin's movements carefully and perfectly to the sound of the pleasant music, despite her heavy and somewhat unwieldy wedding dress.

"You seem like a fast learner," cackled Gremlin, "I don't think it will take me more than a month or you to teach you everything I know about hula and its many varieties." Once the song ended with the finale of the newlyweds' simple performance, Gremlin and Crystal took a seat on a wooden bench on the back wall of the stage. They had been dancing for a few straight hours and were all too happy to take a break while drinking a few glasses of refreshing, cold ice-water. Once Crystal felt more refreshed, she turned her gaze upon her mate. She had a few questions from yesterday that she wanted some answers to.

"Mind if I ask you more about your past life?" asked Crystal sweetly. Gremlin carefully took off his blue flower lei, setting it down on the bench at his right side.

"Sure!" was Gremlin's eager reply, "What do you want to know?" The young Kirlia merely smiled as she put her right arm around Gremlin's shoulders and held him close.

"How about you tell me more about what happened when you and your friends Joe and Grover were the protectors of the immense northern Gardev forests?" asked a curious Crystal.

"Ah!" said Gremlin cheerfully, "I had almost forgotten: I was going to continue my little story from yesterday. Are you ready to again journey into the realm of my mind, my little princess?" Crystal smiled as she leaned against her mate's left side and tenderly held onto his hands.

"I'm ready, dear," said Crystal softly while closing her eyes.

"Very well, my love," said Gremlin softly as his mate leaned against him with a sweet smile on her face, "Just relax and prepare to take another walk down Memory Lane…" Once again, Crystal began to feel rather strange as bright light filled her field of vision. She felt like she was floating, once again suspended in the midst of a great void. Then, all in an instant, the intense illumination faded, revealing a vision of Gremlin and Joe walking through the forest and towards their cabin. The two ghost-type Pokémon were only 30 yards away from their home as Crystal heard her mate's voice echo in her mind.

"It was the next morning after a long night of celebration with the local Gardevoir tribe in Gaia," explained Gremlin tenderly, "The Archimedes, Tanya, Hector and Adelinda and all the people of the hidden settlement had bid me farewell and wished me good luck on my travels. Now, Joe and I were on our way home. We had said little to each other that morning, mostly because I was about to leave the forest, probably forever. Then, as we approached the cabin, we began to sense that something was amiss." The forest around Gremlin and Joe was eerily quiet: not even a single bird was singing as they approached the cabin. Gremlin didn't know why, but some sort of unwanted presence was making his skin crawl. The Sableye suddenly froze in his tracks and Joe wondered what was bothering his friend.

"Is something wrong?" whispered Joe as he came to a stop alongside Gremlin. The spooked Sableye didn't move a muscle.

"Don't you hear that?" asked Gremlin very softly.

"Hear what?" asked Joe, "I don't hear anything."

"That's just it," murmured Gremlin, "Not a sound at all. The birds are always singing around here in the early morning. Something has the local wildlife scared: there might be predators in the area. Quick… become invisible and watch my back. I have a very bad feeling about this…" Without another word, Gremlin and Joe vanished in an instant. They cautiously approached the cabin with Gremlin floating in the air next to Joe so he would not leave footprints. As the Haunter and Sableye came ever closer to the cabin, they could smell the unmistakable odor of burnt wood.

"Be on your guard…" warned Gremlin while he and Joe floated out of the surrounding brush, silently and completely unnoticed as they then laid eyes on their cabin. Again, Gremlin and Joe froze in their tracks, astonished at the scene lying before them.

"What on earth…?" said a flabbergasted Joe, doing his best to keep his voice as quiet as possible. Neither he nor Gremlin could believe what they were seeing as they stood slack-jawed and with their eyes opened wide at what they now beheld: the cabin was in ruins. All the windows were shattered; the roof and walls had gaping and blacked holes in them. Small, almost unnoticeable trails of smoke rose up from smoldering spot fires all about the cabin's interior and exterior.

"Grover!" said Joe with fright as he floated blindly and with great haste into the cabin.

"Wait, Joe!" said Gremlin fearfully, following close behind Joe, "It could be a trap!" Joe didn't go far and abruptly stopped as soon as he was hovering over the center of the cabin floor. Most of the furniture had been damaged or destroyed: clearly, there had been a great struggle here not long ago. The most disheartening fact was that Grover was nowhere to be found. The Sceptile had vanished, leaving Gremlin and Joe to imagine the unthinkable: their close friend either had been captured or was now laying dead or injured somewhere out in the dense woods. The two ghosts soon faded back into view, unable to maintain enough concentration to stay invisible.

"What… what do you think happened to him?" stammered Joe with shock. Gremlin looked about the darkened cabin for a few minutes, looking for clues which could help shed some light on what had transpired during his and Joe's absence. It wasn't long before Gremlin's silence began to throw Joe into a panic.

"Gremlin? Can you hear me?" said the frazzled Haunter, whispering with building anger and fear, "What do you think happened? Where is Grover? Did someone capture him?" Gremlin's gaze soon fell on a small pile of glittering debris lying on the far left corner of the cabin floor. The Sableye glanced at the frustrated Haunter with a calm look on his face. Gremlin spoke softly, his voice filled with compassion.

"Take it easy, Joe," said Gremlin calmly, hoping he could reassure and console the distraught Haunter, "Just calm down, my friend. We're not going to get far if we lose our cool. Besides, I think I have an answer. Look over here." Gremlin motioned for Joe to follow him to the corner of the room where the glittering debris lay. Gremlin knelt down and took up a small handful of the metallic scraps in his right hand: the red and white colors of the debris were unmistakable.

"Hey… what is that stuff?" asked Joe with curiosity, now feeling a lot more calm.

"These are the remains of a standard Pokéball," answered Gremlin confidently while examining the metal flakes in his hand, "No doubt that a Pokémon trainer stumbled upon this cabin and proceeded to attack Grover."

"You really think so?" asked Joe, his voice ripe with disbelief, "Don't you think a Sceptile as powerful as Grover would have easily overpowered any Pokémon sent against him?" Gremlin again turned his gaze upon Joe.

"You might recall how Grover was injured a few days ago when a bolt of lighting hit the tree where he and I had been standing at the very top of in order to scout the forest for possible fires," explained Gremlin as he turned his hand sideways, letting the metallic scrap fall to the floor, "Plus, look around the cabin: there are burn marks everywhere, not to mention all the huge holes throughout the walls, floor and ceiling. I believe Grover put up quite a fight, but I can only figure he was captured because he was still weak and had not recovered completely from that lightning strike. Besides, even Grover would have had a heck of a time facing off against a Fire-Type Pokémon." Gremlin fell silent when he heard Joe start to weep, clearly now overcome with grief.

"It's okay, Joe, it's okay…" said Gremlin softly as he walked up to and then wrapped his arms around the sobbing Haunter.

"What I am going to do now, Gremlin?" cried Joe, "My best friend is gone and the cabin is ruined… Where will I live now? You have to leave soon and I'll be on my own. I can't possibly fix up this cabin all by myself…" Gremlin did his best to console Joe, but even he was beginning to cry. Time seemed to pass by at a slow crawl while Gremlin and Joe hugged each other, overcome with immense sadness. Still, despite the overwhelming sense of loss, Gremlin began to notice that something was still amiss. He may not have known how much time had passed since he and Joe had arrived at the cabin, but the forest was still as silent as a tomb and the Sableye began to suspect that he and Joe were not alone. Gremlin suddenly put his right hand over Joe's mouth.

"What…? What are you doing?" asked Joe, his voice muffled by Gremlin's hand with tears streaming down his face. Gremlin looked straight into the Haunter's eyes.

"I know this is asking a lot from you because of your sadness," whispered Gremlin cautiously, "But we need to become invisible right now and find some place to hide!"

"How about the closet?" suggested Joe with a very soft voice. Gremlin nodded his head just before he and Joe again seemed to vanish into thin air. Silently, the Sableye and Haunter floated into the closet in the far right corner of the cabin, closing and locking the door in their wake. They both stood back as far as they could from the door and up against the back wall. Joe glanced over towards where he figured Gremlin was now standing.

"Why are we doing this?" asked Joe, the haunter becoming somewhat annoyed, "Are you paranoid or something?" Gremlin quickly cupped his right hand over Joe's mouth again.

"Shhh…" said Gremlin quietly. The cautious Sableye slowly walked up to a small hole in the closet wall, which was barely an inch across. Gremlin only peered through the hole for a few moments before and then quickly slid back up against the wall when he saw a pair of Kabutops step into the ruins of the cabin.

"Stay quiet and out of sight…" warned Gremlin with a barely audible whisper, "There are two Kabutops out there… they could be members of the Blight. That, and there may be more of them." Joe nodded his head in reply as he also slid back as far into the closet as he possibly could. Gremlin and Joe dared not to phase through the wall behind them as the bright sunlight would render their powers of invisibility useless. Outside in the trashed cabin, one of the Kabutops snarled with indignation as he surveyed the small, dilapidated building.

"What do you suppose happened here?" said the first Kabutops with an irritated tone of voice, "You don't think our quarry is trying to pull some sort of trick on us, do you?"

"Such a thing would not be below a trickster like a Sableye. Still, that idea is very doubtful," replied the second Kabutops, "This place just reeks with the stench of humans. If you ask me, a human Pokémon trainer must have found this cabin and then engaged its inhabitant in a ferocious battle. I do believe the trainer won." The first Kabutops turned to face its cohort.

"What makes you so sure?" demanded the ancient Pokémon.

"The fact there are only sighs of struggling inside and around the immediate vicinity of this cabin," replied the second Kabutops, "The battle was localized. If the human had fled, I would not be surprised if whatever lived here had chased after the human, leaving more destruction in its wake."

"Either way, we now have a major problem on our hands!" said the first Kabutops angrily, "Our orders were to seek out and destroy one of the few remaining descendants of a member of the ancient Order of Twining Shadows. Our best chance to do eliminate him is while he is still young and inexperienced! If Shatter Claw finds out that our target managed to escape, he'll have both our heads on a platter for this failure!"

"I would not worry, comrade," said the other Kabutops, "If this so-called 'Great' descendant was bested by a human in combat, than we really have nothing to fear. In captivity, our quarry will never be able to grow to his full potential and, most likely, will never have any offspring."

"But don't forget how ghosts tend to live forever," snarled the first Kabutops, "I say we hunt down that trainer and then kill him and all his Pokémon!"

"Don't be so quick to shed blood," said the second Kabutops with a grin, "By now, that human trainer is long gone and we'll never find him in these woods or out in the deserts to the south."

"Shatter Claw, eh?" thought Gremlin, narrowing his eyes at the closet's door, "So, these are the members of the Blight who have been trying to find me…"

"Still, we may as well search the area," said the second Kabutops, "You never know. Our mark may be hiding here. He may have evaded the trainer and another Pokémon may have been captured instead." The first Kabutops chuckled with glee.

"I hope you're right…" said the lead Kabutops, "I want to ram my claws through something today… something living…" Gremlin and Joe gulped, hoping they would not be found. The Sableye knew very well that Kabutops had very keen senses.

"It's going to be a miracle if they don't find us…" thought Gremlin. He had heard tales of how the Blight were immensely powerful and how very few Pokémon could ever stand up to them in combat and survive. Before another thought could enter Gremlin's mind, the closet door's handle started to rattle.

"Locked…" said the angered Kabutops, "Well, no matter!"

"Here we go…" thought Gremlin, taking one last breath as the Kabutops rammed his claws through the wooden door as if it were made of tissue paper. Then, with a quick motion, the ancient Pokémon tore the door clean off its hinges, ripping it right off the frame with frightening ease and then threw it out one of the ruined walls. Gremlin and Joe held their breath as the Kabutops turned its murderous gaze into the darkness of the closet. The Kabutops sniffed the air and reached into the cupboard with its twin claws, feeling for invisible objects. The sharp blades went through Gremlin and Joe harmlessly: the two ghosts just barely able to concentrate in order to stay hidden and incorporeal. After feeling its way about the closet, the bloodthirsty creature withdrew his claws and moved on. For ten horrible minutes, the Sableye and Haunter remained absolutely motionless and as silent as possible while the two Kabutops thoroughly searched the scorched remains of the small cabin. However, the irritated Kabutops's patience was about to run out. Suddenly, the lead Kabutops held his claws up high in the air and roared with immense rage and frustration.

"There's nothing here!" thundered the lead Kabutops, jumping forward to drive his claws into a nearby wall. Then, with a mighty heave, the Kabutops pulled the wall down, bringing a large potion of the ceiling down upon itself. The Kabutops let out a heavy sigh, not even flinching as the heavy section of the roof bore down on him.

"I'm inclined to agree," said the second Kabutops, "Although destroying what's left of this worthless building is not going to get us any closer to our goal."

"Then what are we supposed to do?" snarled the first Kabutops, lifting the broken section of the roof over his head with his two claws. The angered creature then threw the broken section of the ceiling into the air. The other Kabutops said nothing as the large piece of the roof crashed to the ground in the distance, several hundred yards away.

"Simple," said the second Kabutops calmly, "We shall report our findings to Shatter Claw. He may be ruthless, but he still knows better than to kill his best spies because of a situation proven to be beyond their grasp and most decidedly… unexpected. I'm sure he'll buy my story that a human captured him."

"You better be right, for our sakes!" said the other Kabutops with hot anger, "Bah! Let's get out of here!"

"Agreed," was the reply from the second Kabutops. For Joe and Gremlin, they had no idea how much time passed while they hid in the cabin's only closet. It took every once of concentration the two ghost Pokémon could muster to stay motionless, silent and invisible, not knowing when they would be safe. It was not until they heard the birds beginning to sing when the two hidden Pokémon knew they were finally out of harm's way. The pair of friends emerged from the shadows of the closet slowly and with great caution, wanting to be absolutely sure there were no more foes in the area.

"Man… that was horrid!" said Joe fearfully with a loud gulp, "How embarrassing, huh, Gremlin? A couple of powerful ghosts: scared clean out of their wits!"

"Still, there is no shame in hiding, especially when you know you are out-matched," said Gremlin, letting out a sigh of relief, "Surely you could sense it, Joe: there is no way we would have been able to face those Kabutops head on."

"Surely you're joking…" said Joe with stark disbelief, "Even if they had sensed us, we could have stayed incorporeal and they would not have been able to land any attacks on us."

"But for how long?" asked Gremlin, turning his gaze upon Joe with a serious look on his face, "Eventually, we would have fallen and I would not be surprised if they knew any Dark-Type attack moves, which may sound ludicrous, are particularly devastating to ghost Pokémon, like yourself. We would have fought very bravely… and died very quickly."

"Maybe so," admitted Joe, "But how come they didn't find us? I thought Kabutops had very keen senses."

"Maybe the smell of burning wood and fabric helped camouflage us?" suggested Gremlin as he shrugged his shoulders, "At any rate, we can't stay here. Other members of the Blight could still come here in the days ahead. Let's salvage what we can from this place and get going." For a few hours, Gremlin and Joe scoured the ruins of the cabin for anything which could still be used. Much to their dismay, any objects that could have been useful had either been burned, melted or shattered. Joe's fear waned throughout the morning, but soon, even knowing he and Gremlin were okay was not enough to hold back his grief.

"Gremlin…?" asked Joe with a heavy sigh of dread.

"What is it, Joe?" asked Gremlin calmly, finally giving up his search of the ruined cabin.

"Do you really have to leave?" asked Joe hesitantly. Gremlin bowed his head low, taking a deep breath.

"I don't really have much of a choice…" replied a now saddened Gremlin, "If I stay in the wild, it will only be a matter of time before the Blight will find me. At least those monsters know better than to go into a city and stir up trouble. I should be safe in Alakaz."

"If you think you are going to be protected in the city, how about I come with you? That way, you can continue to train me," suggested a hopeful Joe. Gremlin chuckled warmly.

"To be honest, there is little more I can teach you," said Gremlin with confidence, "Besides, you have responsibilities as a protector of this forest. You need to remain here, at least until you find someone who can take over this burden of yours."

"I know that!" sad Joe, now frustrated as tears began to trickle down his face, "You're my best friend, Gremlin! I can't bear the thought of having to stay here in these woods on my own, especially with Grover gone!" Gremlin walked up to the weeping Haunter and put his arms around his despairing comrade.

"We were going to have to part ways sooner or later, my friend," said Gremlin softly, trying to console Joe, "I could not have stayed here in the woods until the end of time anyway, even if I was not being pursued by the Blight. My mother and father always said I had a great destiny ahead of me and that it would be quite some time before I would know what that destiny is."

"But… I still don't want to have to live in this forest alone…" sobbed Joe. Gremlin his Haunter friend tightly.

"You aren't alone, Joe," said Gremlin reassuringly, "You could live with the tribe of Gardevoirs not far from here. I sincerely doubt Archimedes would turn you away since your home was destroyed, especially since you had a hand in saving these woods from an immense fire. Of course, you are also the guardian of this forest. I know you will do your job well. That and I know the Gardevoirs will feel a lot safer knowing you are there to help keep humans away from this place."

"If you say so…" said Joe, taking a deep breath as he wiped his eyes dry with his hands.

"Besides, you are already very powerful for a Haunter. Just think of how much more potent your abilities will be once you become a Gengar," said Gremlin confidently and with a friendly smile. Joe cackled with glee at the thought of evolving.

"You're right!" said Joe, his confidence renewed and his grief banished, "I am very strong and there are others who depend on me to keep them safe. Thanks, Gremlin."

"You are very welcome, Joe," said Gremlin cheerfully, "You think you will be okay, now?"

"Yeah," replied Joe with a toothy smile, "I think I will." Crystal watched, amazed at the events unfolding before her in the realm of her husband's memories. Soon, the scenery faded out of view, leaving nothing but darkness as far as the eye could see. Again, Gremlin's voiced echoed in the young Kirlia's mind.

"Before leaving, Joe and I journeyed to Gaia, the Gardevoirs' hidden village. I wanted to make absolutely sure Joe would be welcome in their settlement. Surely enough, Joe and I had little to worry about: the Gardevoir chief welcomed Joe into his tribe with open arms. Archimedes then provided me with a small backpack, filled with water and other provisions for my upcoming journey. I did not dare set foot out of the Gardevoirs' caverns until night had fallen," said Gremlin as more scenery began to fade into view. The dense forest was dark from a moonless night. Joe followed closely behind Gremlin as they hastily made their way to the very edge of the woods. They stayed in the shadows, using the darkness to enhance their strength as they ran through the woods, hour after hour. By midnight, Joe and Gremlin finally came across the southern border of the dense forest. Just beyond some thick shrubs lay the Gardev Deserts. Miles and miles of yellowish sand lay to the south and west. Gremlin looked to his left, seeing the dark silhouettes of the Gardev Mountain Range looming out over the horizon to the east. Massive sand dunes, some hundreds of feet tall, lie in the path towards Alakaz: the city lights were barely visible in the distance. The Sableye could only imagine how far he would have to hike before he would be safely in the vast metropolis.

"Well, I guess this is it…" said Joe mournfully.

"Indeed," said Gremlin hesitantly. In a matter of minutes, Joe and Gremlin said their goodbyes, hugging each other one last time before parting ways. Gremlin looked over his shoulder towards the woods as Joe floated further and further into the forest, eventually vanishing into the darkness. For the first time in many years, Gremlin found himself to be alone. The Sableye took a deep breath and began the long hike to Alakaz. The immense desert seemed to be completely devoid of life, but Gremlin was not about to take any chances. He did his best to stay invisible and moved only at night. Gremlin would then hide beneath the sands during the day when he was the most vulnerable. For over a week, the Sableye continued his lonely march. Only the sound of an occasional breeze broke the eerie silence of the sandy wasteland. Finally, late one night and with his provisions nearly used up, Gremlin climbed up one last towering sand dune and laid eyes on the magnificent city of Alakaz. Dozens of brightly-lit skyscrapers stood tall above the desert horizon. Countless other buildings lit up the sky for miles around. Gremlin paused in awe of the city. He had never seen such a place before as the astonished Sableye had spent his entire life living in the woods of the Gardev Region. Gremlin cackled with glee. Such a large city: so many places to hide!

"Surely I'll be able to find a suitable place to live," thought Gremlin happily as he began a quick descent down the mountain of sand. Unfortunately for the excited ghost, it would still be several hours before he would even arrive at the outskirts of Alakaz. From what Gremlin had heard, the immense metropolis of gleaming steel and glass had started out as a trade center with the Gardev River flowing through the center of town. In addition, acres upon acres of farmland lay along the mighty river from the mountain valleys to the east, all the way to the ocean, well over 100 miles to the south of the great city. Alakaz was, by far, the largest human settlement in the region. The city had been growing especially quickly in the last few years as news of a possible mining boom had spread to other regions. By now, hundreds of thousands of humans and trained Pokémon called Alakaz home.

"I've heard other Pokémon, mostly Pidgeys and Spearows passing through the forests, speak of the humans trying to find oil and other riches in the desert," thought Gremlin, continuing his approach towards the city, "That would explain why Joe and I had to spend much of our time keeping humans away from the northern woods. They were all thinking about clearing the forest for lumber in order to build new homes and buildings: at the expense of the wildlife. Well, I'll be surprised if those humans ever find anything of value in this over-grown sandbox." Throughout the rest of the night and much of the next day, Gremlin scoured Alakaz for a place to call home. Much to his dismay, there were no abandoned or decrepit buildings for him to haunt. Alakaz had been growing very fast indeed with so many people eager to make a fortune drilling and mining in the deserts. The date was Monday, August 12, 1963 and Gremlin was on the verge of giving up his search for a decent home in the sprawling city.

"Maybe the Rattata and Pikachus living in the sewers won't mind if I hang out with them…" grumbled Gremlin as he cautiously made his way down another brightly-lit street. Surprisingly, the avenues in this part of Alakaz were empty and very quiet. Small stores, shops and apartment buildings lined the street: all of the structures were 3 to 4 stories tall and their windows dark. It seemed like everyone in this neighborhood was asleep.

"Perhaps a curfew is in effect to try and keep order around here?" thought Gremlin, cautiously walking down the street. He only walked another block down the avenue when he began to hear music. A pleasant and soothing melody was coming from somewhere further down the street. After such a long and lonely trip, Gremlin was definitely in the mood for entertainment.

"Hmmm! Sounds like an orchestra is putting on a concert," thought Gremlin cheerfully, "Just the thing I need to help lift my spirits." The Sableye decided to pick up the pace, although he was quite wary of being seen by any humans. Still, Gremlin ran down the street with great haste, hoping he would not miss much more of the concert, or miss the performance altogether. In a matter of minutes, the Sableye, panting with exhaustion, soon found the very place where the music was coming from. Before him lay an expansive parking lot, filled with hundreds upon hundreds of cars. Their polished chrome was gleaming brightly from the nearby streetlights. However, at the far side of the parking lot, past the throng of fancy new cars, lay a building which was much larger than the rest on this street. It had the appearance of a large auditorium, probably with thousands of seats inside and probably a large stage as well. A large sign surrounded by flashing lights and located above the front sets of double glass and bronze doors read "Alakaz Hall of Dance and Performance". Gremlin's eyes lit up with anticipation.

"I'll bet such a building will have plenty of places to hide!" thought Gremlin with glee, "As a bonus, I'll get to watch concerts and dancing for free! This is just too good!" Gremlin paused for but a moment to reconsider.

"Then again… maybe this wouldn't be such a great place to make my home," thought Gremlin. Nonetheless, the Sableye had spent quite some time trying to find a suitable place to live with no success. The brightly-lit skyscrapers were certainly a bad place for a ghost to live and all the surrounding buildings were far too small for a ghost Pokémon to have to share with humans, all while trying to stay unnoticed. Plus, there was the fact Gremlin was very tired from his journey and just about out of food.

"May as well give this place a shot," said Gremlin to himself with resolve. The Sableye soon managed to sneak into the building unnoticed. The bright lights inside the building made turning invisible impossible, especially since Gremlin was rather tired and getting hungry. Nonetheless, there were no humans or other Pokémon in the front area. The building had also fallen quiet all of a sudden.

"What's going on now?" thought Gremlin. All of a sudden, loud music filled the entire building, making the Sableye jump several feet straight up into the air.

"Gah!" screamed a very surprised Gremlin. No sooner had the startled Sableye yelled when a pair of doors, leading out into the auditorium began to open. Gremlin gasped as an usher started to step through the open doorway. Without a second thought, Gremlin went running across the floor to the nearest entryway. He became incorporeal at will and ran through the locked, wooden door with ease.

"Is someone there?" asked the usher, a tall man wearing a red suit with yellow accents. Gremlin decided he should not linger. He turned around to find a set of stairs which seemed to lead up to some apartments on the top floor of the building. The stairway was dimly lit, allowing Gremlin to once again become invisible. He quickly scaled the stairs and was soon standing in a hallway on the top floor. Only a few lights were on in the corridor and all the rooms seemed to be darkened.

"Whoever lives up here must be enjoying the show in the auditorium. I'll bet the owner of this place lives in the apartments here," thought Gremlin. The Sableye quickly made his way into a nearby room and turned on the lights. The room had a bed, a dresser, a few nightstands a closet with its door wide open and a modest bathroom. From what Gremlin could figure, no one actually lived in this room. This fact was realized quite easily as there was a fine layer of dust on all the furniture. Plus, all the dressers and closets were completely empty. Gremlin walked up to the open closet and stashed his backpack in the small area before closing the door. The sound of music was rather loud in the bedroom.

"I wonder what's below me," thought Gremlin. Once again, the Sableye became incorporeal at will. He slid through the floor with ease and was instantly startled the moment his head had gone through the wooden flooring: he was floating right below the middle of the auditorium's ceiling! Fortunately for Gremlin, the ceiling area was lit dimly, so no one noticed him. The thousands of gentlemen in fine suits and beautiful ladies in lavish dresses all had their eyes fixed forward towards the stage. The Sableye soon turned his attention towards the orchestra pit, wondering what all the humans were so enthralled about. The band consisted of well over 100 professional musicians. The music they played was unlike anything Gremlin had ever heard before: light, pleasant and very comforting. However, it didn't take Gremlin long to realize what the show was all about, for a large stage was located just beyond the large orchestra. On the stage stood a dozen young ladies in beautiful, sparkling white dresses with very fluffy, knee-length tutus. They also wore stunning silver tiaras in their flowing hair and white slippers in their feet.

"Well! What do you know?" thought Gremlin happily, descending towards a rafter below where he soon sat down, "This must be ballet! I've seen Gardevoirs and Kirlias perform this dance before, but not humans." The ballerinas were absolutely graceful and fluid in their motions as they danced in perfect time to the music. The Sableye smiled, relaxing while enjoying every moment of the performance.

"They're really good…" remarked Gremlin to himself, "Better than most of the dancers from the Gardevoir village." Then, something strange began to happen. The dancers, the musicians, and the music: everything began to slow down as the scenery began to be overtaken by bright white light. As the interior of the dance hall faded out of view, Crystal found herself again suspended in the midst of the bright, never-ending void of illumination.

"Every night, I would bear witness to one great performance after another. Many kinds of dancing were performed: ballet, waltz, square dancing, belly dancing, hula, other forms of Polynesian dancing as well as the can-can," explained Gremlin. Crystal smirked, her body hovering in the bright expanse.

"I don't suppose you pretended the can-can dancers were little female Sableyes instead of humans, did you?" asked a giggling Crystal. Gremlin's laughter echoed throughout the void.

"Certainly not!" said a laughing Gremlin, "Besides, those ladies dressed modestly and acted like true professionals. Anyway, for over twenty years, I enjoyed the safety and comfort of the dance hall. No one ever knew I was there. Nonetheless, I started to become rather bored after five years or so of hiding in the shadows. Fortunately, I did find a way to combat my restlessness for behind the stage were several more large rooms in the dance hall: all of them were devoted to dancing classes. During the day, I would often watch these classes, all while making sure I stayed well hidden. After awhile, though, I decided to learn how to dance myself. During the day, I would watch every class I could and observe the dancers' movements closely. During the night, while the main performances were being held in the auditorium, I would practice my dance moves in the darkened back rooms. I even went so far as to take and modify some dance costumes to fit me: of course, I only took stuff that nobody seemed to want. After years of trial and error, trying to teach myself to dance, I eventually mastered every form of dancing that was taught and performed at the dance hall."

"You mean you actually learned how to do the can-can?" said Crystal, doubled over with laughter, "Did you make yourself a cute dress to wear while teaching yourself that one, too?" Gremlin said not a word for several minutes. It was only when Crystal's laughter began to abate that the embarrassed Sableye would again speak to his wife.

"Look… I was bored… really, REALLY bored!" said an irritated Gremlin, "After a few decades with no friends and little else to do besides practice using my powers and Ghost Forme, I had to do anything to relieve the monotony! I wasn't about to start any trouble. True, I could have cleared the entire building in one fell swoop if I wanted to, but then what would I do with my spare time? Believe me: I had a LOT of time to kill! Keeping myself occupied was all I could do to keep my loneliness at bay!" Crystal finally stopped laughing.

"I'm sorry, dear," said Crystal softly, her head held low with shame, "I didn't mean to upset you…" Gremlin took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh. The Sableye spoke again, his voice echoing across the lighted void in a tender manner.

"I forgive you, my love," said Gremlin sweetly, "I can understand that you find my early exploits to be rather amusing. Even my closest friend, Simon doesn't know about many of my talents… especially the more embarrassing ones." Crystal giggled happily and then said in a gentle tone of voice, "So, what happened next, my dear?"

"Well, twenty long years passed while I used the grand dance hall as my home. However, by this time, the city of Alakaz was undergoing decline. The year was now 1983. The mining boom in the Gardev Region was very short-lived. By the early 70s, the many companies who had staked their claims in the deserts and nearby mountains had finally realized they had committed a serious error. Oil, coal, precious stones, and metal ore: none of these things were ever found in the Gardev Region despite extensive searches and millions upon millions of dollars spent. By 1975, every last mining and drilling company had pulled out of the area and Alakaz was now in the midst of rapid decay. By a twist of fate, the dance hall continued to operate as one of the city's last places for high-end entertainment. Even so, the owner of this building was also facing difficult times. With so many people leaving Alakaz, finding expert dancers was becoming all the more difficult. Even the grand orchestra was thinning out: down to a mere 30 members. Nonetheless, the show continued on, providing patrons with the finest dancing in the entire region. By December of 1983, the only building that was still occupied on this and the surrounding blocks was the dance hall. All the small stores and apartment buildings had been abandoned for well over five years now. The decrepit buildings certainly did not help draw in more patrons. To make matters worse, too few people were coming for dance lessons. The dance hall was losing money day after day." The bright light around Crystal began to dim, revealing more scenery from inside the dance hall. The young Kirlia quickly recognized her surroundings: she was now backstage. Two humans stood before the astonished bride. The one on Crystal's left was definitely an elderly man, probably in his late 70s. He was at least six feet tall and was wearing a dark blue pinstripe suit with a black necktie. The man was speaking to a younger woman, probably in her mid 30s. She was a good six inches shorter than the man and wore a beautiful ballet costume that was much like the one Crystal owned.

"I hope you have a good reason for calling me out of practice, Mr. Wilson," said the woman with slight anger, but also a gentle voice, "My friends and I need to be ready for tonight's show."

"Please forgive my interruption, Miss Victoria," said Mr. Wilson, narrowing his eyes at the agitated ballerina, "But don't forget that I'm still your employer. You are my lead performer, so I figured I should tell you first."

"Tell me what?" asked Ms. Victoria, her voice now ripe with worry, "Is something wrong, sir?"

"I'm afraid so," said Mr. Wilson, drawing a deep breath, "I suppose it's no secret this establishment is losing money every single day now. Nearly three quarters of our musicians have left and only a dozen dancers in all still perform here, including you Ms. Victoria. We used to have over 60 performers here, but now, I'm afraid I'm going to have to close down this performance hall very soon…"

"Don't say that," said Ms. Victoria, trying to reassure her boss, "We can pull through this. We've been going strong well after the mining companies left this place."

"If we keep going much longer, I'm going to have to start tapping into my retirement savings to keep this place afloat," said Mr. Wilson, with a frown, "I'm getting too old for this. I have no one to leave this business to when I retire or pass on. On top of that, no one wants to buy this property, not even at a quarter of the price it's worth! This isn't easy for me at all. Why, your mother was the star performer here when I first opened the dance hall back in the late 50s. Your father was the conductor of the orchestra here back then, and he still is." Ms. Victoria fell silent. The lovely ballerina took a deep breath.

"You really aren't joking around, are you?" said Ms. Victoria, sadness evident in her voice, "As things are, how much longer do you think we can keep the dance hall going?"

"Until the end of the month at the very latest," said Mr. Wilson with grief, "But don't worry, I can always put in a good word for you, your friends and the rest of the staff. Surely there are plenty of other places in nearby regions where you could get jobs at other dance halls and performance centers."

"And I always hoped I would spend all of my days dancing here, in Alakaz," said Ms. Victoria with a sigh, "Still; I think my friends and I will do fine elsewhere."

"That's the spirit," said Mr. Wilson with a friendly smile and renewed confidence, "Let's work hard and make our last month open in Alakaz our most memorable ever."

"And we shall," said Ms. Victoria cheerfully, "Well, I better get back to the practice rooms. I want to make sure everything is going well with the other dancers."

"I'll be sure to inform everyone after tonight's performance about this turn of events," said Mr. Wilson as he and the ballerina parted ways. Gremlin had been hiding in a dark corner, not far from Ms. Victoria and Mr. Wilson. The Sableye had overheard the entire conversation and now felt rather sad as well as ashamed. He had spent the last two decades living comfortably in the dance hall, all while taking advantage of dance classes the lavish nightly performances and first dibs on any leftover food that no one wanted.

"I've pretty much have been able to come and go as I please around here, but I've never done anything to help out," thought Gremlin with despair, "Now, this place is going to have to close down soon and then I'll be completely alone." The Sableye could not think of any other place he could go where he'd be safe from the villainous Blight. Nor did he have any friends he could go to. In the years Gremlin had lived at the Alakaz Dance Hall, he had never seen other Pokémon. What was even more surprising was how no Ghost Pokémon had even come to take advantage of all the empty buildings which now surrounded the dance hall. It seemed like only a miracle could save Gremlin's home and the people who depended on the performance hall for their livelihood. It was only after an hour of careful thought when an idea soon came to the sullen Sableye. An idea: so crazy, it might just work.

"I've got it!" thought Gremlin with glee, "Maybe if the patrons see something they've never seen before, this place would become famous again and draw huge crowds! No one's ever seen a dancing Sableye before. I certainly have never heard of such a thing. I know what to do! I'll join those ballerinas on stage, when the time is just right! I've observed and mastered their techniques and routines, plus I even have suitable attire!" Gremlin paused: perhaps he was overlooking something important. After all, how would a crowd of possibly thousands of people react to seeing a Sableye? Most people were absolutely terrified of ghosts.

"Then again…" thought Gremlin confidently, "Performers are generally taught that the show must go on, even if something unexpected or absolutely ludicrous happens." The Sableye paused when he heard someone talking with the theater's owner nearby.

"Are you sure of this?" asked Mr. Wilson to an unseen man.

"I'm not kidding!" said the man joyfully, "This theater is going to be standing-room-only tonight! Word must have gotten out that we're the only place in the entire city performing Tchaikovsky's 'The Nutcracker' for the holiday season!"

"That is splendid news, indeed! How are ticket sales going for the rest of the month?" asked Mr. Wilson eagerly. The other man let out a sigh of despair.

"Not so good…" admitted the man, "There are just too few people left in Alakaz with the time and money to see a grand ballet these days, even our reduced staff is probably not enough to offset rising costs and dwindling attendance."

"I'm well aware of that," said a very unhappy Mr. Wilson, "No matter. We have a show to put on, so let's get to it."

"Only a miracle is going to keep this business going, isn't it?" asked the man as he and Mr. Wilson walked away.

"You have no idea…" said Mr. Wilson with dread. Now Gremlin's mind was made up.

"I'm ready for my premier," thought a determined Gremlin, "Even If I have to spend the next several decades in the care of these humans, so be it. No one has ever seen a dancing Sableye, but that is going to change tonight!" Gremlin quickly made his way back to his room and began to prepare for the upcoming performance. During the next hour, a few thousand people made their way into the brightly-lit dance hall. They were hoping for a grand performance: one they would surely remember for the rest of their lives. However, before the night was over, every last soul in the dance hall was going to wish otherwise. Gremlin was waiting in the shadows of a darkened corner of the stage, watching the group of dancers perform one scene after another from "The Nutcracker". Gremlin was biding his time: waiting for the right moment to emerge from the shadows and join the other dancers in the spotlight. The Sableye was absolutely certain everyone would love him and his performance, but he still could not help but be hesitant. The very fact he was a ghost would possibly spell disaster for the dance hall. Nonetheless, Gremlin knew he had to do something or the lavish theater was going to shut down by the end of the month, for good. The curtain soon fell and applause thundered throughout the auditorium as another scene from the beloved ballet came to an end. Gremlin thought carefully: the next scene was going to be "Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy". He knew this scene very well: all its steps and techniques by heart, even though he would have never admitted such a thing to his family or his closest friend, Joe. Before long, a group of six ballerinas, all of them in their early 20s, wearing beautiful white dresses with fluffy, ankle-length tutus and white ballet slippers, soon made their way on stage. They were ready to begin the next scene at once. The applause died down as the large red curtains began to rise, revealing the stage and its scenery as well as the young dancers. Just as the orchestra's conductor was about to lead the modest band in the next song, Gremlin leapt from the shadows, landing front and center of the ballerinas. He wore a miniature version of the same dress and slippers the other dancers were wearing and he stood in the exact same stance as the rest of the ballerinas, ready to begin the next scene. The Sableye was very confident the show would soon proceed without a hitch. Perhaps he was too confident…

"What on earth is that?" yelled a surprised man from the front row of the auditorium.

"It's a ghost!" screamed a middle-aged woman from one of the balconies. In an instant, pandemonium erupted throughout the theater. People were yelling and screaming while they left the theater in droves. Needless to say, this was not the reaction Gremlin had wanted. He stood motionless on stage, watching the throng of people make their hasty retreat from the dance hall. In under a minute, the entire building was cleared of every last human. Gremlin stood alone on stage, absolutely bewildered. The auditorium was still brightly lit as Gremlin looked down from the stage and into the orchestra pit below. The musicians had even abandoned their instruments in all the confusion. Crystal could only watch as the scenery before her began to fade out of view, being overtaken by a dark, endless expanse.

"That was kind of sad…" said Crystal, her body floating once again in the void, "You wanted so badly to help them keep the dance hall going so the dancers and everyone else who still worked there would get to keep their jobs. But when you tried to help those people, all you accomplished was scaring the daylights out of them… Whatever happened to all of them? Did they really leave the dance hall for good?" Gremlin cackled, his voice once again echoed throughout the emptiness. Crystal; however, did not know what her husband found to be so funny.

"Believe it or not, my monumental failure at the dance hall was a blessing in disguise," said Gremlin happily, "You see, the building's owner had wisely purchased and maintained an insurance policy he'd originally acquired in 1959. You would never guess what all this policy offered protection against, including one very unlikely occurrence: should the building become haunted, the policy would pay out a lump sum of 10 million dollars. Mind you, this was five times the value of the building in 1959. I eventually read about what happened next in the daily newspapers which were still being delivered to the dance hall. At first, the insurance company refused to honor the policy; however, a judge quickly ruled in favor of Mr. Wilson and his staff, since there were a few thousand witnesses to back up his story. Once Mr. Wilson received the 10 million dollar payment in full, he quickly split it up amongst the remaining members of his staff. The vast majority used their shares of the money to move away from Alakaz and into neighboring regions where they would all find good paying jobs doing much the same as they did in the Alakaz Dance Hall. Ms. Victoria would become the star performer of a traveling dancing troupe with many of her friends from the dance hall. As for Mr. Wilson, he retired in great comfort and moved into the mountain village of Gardev to spend his remaining days in peace and quiet."

"I see," said Crystal happily, "Everything worked out well for all those people, in spite of your disastrous premier."

"Indeed, my love," said a cheerful Gremlin, "In my own deranged way… I managed to help all those people. Of course, I was on cloud nine myself, for I, a single Ghost-Type Pokémon, had cleared a building of thousands of people with but one leap onto the stage, scaring them all into next week!"

"So I see," giggled Crystal, "This certainly explains why you are such a great dancer and can perform so many types of dance with ease, but this still does not explain how you met Simon."

"Ah, Simon…" said Gremlin from somewhere in the inky-black depths of the void, "I wouldn't have to wait very long before I would meet him. Observe."


	7. Section 7

**-138B-**

The dark, empty expanse vanished in an instant, replaced with a view of the dance hall's auditorium. The grand dance hall had definitely seen better days. Many of the windows were broken, wood throughout the building was starting to crack and rot from exposure to the elements and a thick layer of dust and cobwebs seemed to cover everything. Gremlin spoke yet again, his voice echoing throughout the area.

"It was now spring of 1989," explained Gremlin, "The years had been kind to me. Although I was again alone, I managed to keep going through with my training: learning how to master more of my abilities as well as dabbling further into the ancient arts of Ghost Forme. I would continue to practice my dancing in my spare time as I did not want to forget what I had spent so many years of my life learning. One morning, my training was disturbed when I heard one of the front doors of the dance hall slowly creak open. I was confused, at first. After all, now that the building was declared haunted, nobody would buy the place. Let alone tear it down or even dare venture inside. However, this was certainly no ordinary visitor…" On the stage stood Gremlin, his gaze suddenly fixated on one of the sets of double doors all the way at the end of the far right aisle. Instantly, the startled Sableye became invisible. He was very cautious, not knowing what or who to expect. The double doors slowly parted, revealing a beautiful creature Gremlin had not seen in a very long time: a Kirlia… a female Kirlia.

"So… that's the Kirlia you met at the dance hall," giggled Crystal, "Did you think she was pretty?" Gremlin's voice echoed in the young bride's mind.

"Do be completely honest…" said Gremlin, his voice filled with hesitation and embarrassment, "I was absolutely smitten. I had spent so many years alone, either because I had no fellow Pokémon to befriend or the only other creatures around were humans. For me, it was love at first sight. Sure, I had seen quite a few Kirlias before, but something about this beautiful creature was very special. She seemed friendly enough as she walked into the auditorium." The Kirlia spoke not a word while glancing about the room. As for Gremlin, who had no experience with the opposite gender before, thoughts were racing through his mind. He couldn't figure out the best way to introduce himself to the lovely creature. Still, the Sableye wasn't going to sit idly and watch the Kirlia leave the building without at least greeting her. Perhaps a present would be a good idea? Of course it was! Gremlin, hastily and stealthily, managed to leave the auditorium unnoticed by the young Kirlia. He ran to a flower garden behind the dance hall and quickly assembled a bouquet of colorful daffodils, tulips and even some roses. Of course, Gremlin made sure to remove all the thorns before wrapping the nice flower arrangement up in a song sheet that had been abandoned in the dance hall years ago. Meanwhile, the Kirlia was still making her way up and down the aisles, glancing up and down the rows of seats. She seemed to be looking for something… and found something she soon did.

"Kir-li?" said the surprised, wide-eyed Kirlia as a Sableye suddenly appeared before her.

"Hi!" said Gremlin with a friendly smile, holding out the bouquet of colorful flowers towards the startled female Pokémon, "My name's Gremlin! What's yours?" The Sableye's greeting and offering of a gift may have been genuinely innocent and friendly enough, but the young Kirlia had other ideas. Before Gremlin could utter another word or react, the Kirlia let out a battle cry and leapt forward feet first, landing a devastating Mega-Kick right to Gremlin's face. The Sableye screamed as a horrible cracking sound echoed throughout the brightly-lit auditorium. Gremlin flew back and up into the air several feet before he came crashing down onto the faded red carpeted floor.

"Hey! What was that for?" demanded Gremlin angrily as he slowly sat up and glared at the Kirlia. The young Pokémon glared at her adversary, still in a battle stance, ready to attack again at a moment's notice.

"Look! I didn't mean to upset you or anything!" pleaded Gremlin as the Kirlia began to slowly walk towards him, "You think I'm some sort of creep or something? No way! I just wanted to know your name, that's all! Maybe get to know each other a bit? I would much rather we broke the ice in this possible relationship instead of my face!" Gremlin quickly realized something was wrong when he noticed his field of vision had somehow been reduced. He could see nothing out of his left eye. The scared ghost reached up to his face, wondering if his eye had been covered by dust or something. Instead, Gremlin discovered that his left eye was missing altogether.

"No!" screamed Gremlin, "Where's my eye?" The Kirlia paused for a moment to glance at a shiny object lying on the floor on the Kirlia's left side. She stopped only to reach down, pick up the item from a seat and then threw it towards the panicking Sableye. Gremlin looked down at his feet in shock: his large gemstone eye had been knocked right out of his skull. To make matters worse, a huge crack had formed right through the middle of the large gem, probably from the Kirlia's unwarranted attack.

"What did you go and do that for?" snarled Gremlin, picking up his damaged eye and quickly sliding it back into his head.

"Well done, Annabelle!" shouted a very confident and rather young feminine voice from the shadows of the hallway beyond the main entryway doors into the auditorium, "Keep him pinned!" Gremlin froze as a Pokémon trainer, a girl who was maybe 11 years old, ran into the auditorium. The trainer stopped the moment she entered the massive room, looking down at Gremlin with a smirk on her face. The Kirlia grinned at Gremlin as well.

"You have to be kidding me!" laughed the young girl, "This little mongrel is responsible for haunting the Alakaz Dance Hall? Ha! I was expecting something just a little bit… bigger." The trainer pointed forward with her right hand at Gremlin and Annabelle the Kirlia leapt forward at an unspoken command. Gremlin had no time to react or even think as the Kirlia landed right in front of him and landed another powerful, sweeping kick to his chest. The Sableye howled with pain and was again knocked into the air. The Pokémon trainer was laughing.

"You have got to be the most pathetic ghost I've ever seen!" laughed the trainer, "You don't even have the presence of mind to become unsolid in order to avoid Normal and Fighting-Type attacks? You're just begging to be captured!" Gremlin landed hard on the dusty floor just inches away from landing in the empty orchestra pit on his stomach. The Sableye was coughing and struggling to breath after getting the air knocked out of him.

"Kir-lia! Lia…-Kirlia! Lia!" said Annabelle with a hostile tone of voice. While the trainer may have only heard what seemed like utter gibberish from Annabelle, Gremlin knew all too well what the antagonistic Kirlia had said.

"You're pathetic!" said Annabelle with a scowl, "If not for my trainer holding me back, I would end you! You're a joke to all Ghost Pokémon. Did you actually think I would want ever an ugly, weak, embarrassment of a monster like you as my mate? Please… I would never stoop so low… You'll be lucky if you even get paired up with a Ditto by my trainer." The young girl surveyed the scene before her. Annabelle kept spouting unintelligible insults at the fallen Sableye, but the trainer was not convinced the weakened Ghost Pokémon had been weakened enough.

"Annabelle! Finish him! One more good, hard kick should do the job!" ordered the trainer, pointing at Gremlin with her right hand.

"Kir-lia!" said Annabelle, smiling as she glanced over her right shoulder at her trainer.

"With pleasure," is what Gremlin heard Annabelle say, right before the Kirlia's cold gaze fell upon the hurt Sableye, "I'm going to hate having you on our team, but at least the loss of your freedom will make me feel ever so slightly better about the idea." Gremlin said not a word as he finally caught his breath. The Sableye kept his face towards the group as tears began to fall from his gemstone eyes. He cried not only from the excruciating pain, but because he would have to spend many, many years on a team, forced to fight with a trainer who didn't seem to care about him and a cold, heartless Kirlia that would rather see him dead than fighting for the benefit of her trainer.

"If we're both lucky, this next shot will take you out… for good!" snarled Annabelle, "You don't deserve to be with MY trainer, you useless weakling. Since I'm so strong, my trainer will probably think it was an accident if I kill you now." Gremlin raised lifted head and glared at the overly-hostile Kirlia. Gremlin figured that if he was about to die, he was at least going to give the hateful psychic Pokémon something to remember him by for the rest of her life.

"And I thought Kirlias were supposed to be kind, loving, merciful and compassionate creatures," said Gremlin with a smirk, "Tell me: how many times did your 'Great and Wonderful' trainer drop you on your head as a Ralts, huh? I'll say this much: only a Muk would ever be desperate enough to take a horrid, murderous, temperamental monster like you as a mate!" Annabelle gritted her teeth and screamed with immense rage.

"You take that back!" shouted Annabelle angrily, "Or by the time I'm finished with you, you'll be begging for death!"

"Never," said Gremlin, sticking his tongue out at Annabelle, which only further infuriated the Kirlia, "Do your worst, Monster."

"I'm not a monster!" screamed Annabelle as she charged forward, ready to deliver the final fatal blow to her adversary. Just when the bloodthirsty Kirlia was mere yards from her target, a dark silhouette dropped from the ceiling, landing right in front of Annabelle. The Kirlia stopped in her tracks as the frightful Pokémon loomed over her. The trainer was aghast: she had never seen such a creature before. This Pokémon was almost bug-like in its appearance, but it had an elongated head, stood straight up on two legs, had a brownish and tough-looking hide and its arms became huge, long claws starting at the forearms.

"What kind of Pokémon is that?" asked the trainer aloud to herself and she quickly pulled out her PokéDex, pointing the small device towards the unknown and malicious-looking creature. A computerized "Ding!" echoed throughout the now-silent building, followed closely by a digital voice.

"Kabutops: the Shellfish Pokémon," said the PokéDex matter-of-factly, "Its sleek shape is perfect for swimming. It slashes prey with its claws and drains the body fluids." The young trainer was mortified at the PokéDex's rather blunt explanation.

"Yuck!" said the horrified trainer, "That's just disgusting!"

"A Kabutops?" thought Gremlin with fear, "That can only mean this Pokémon is probably a member of the Blight!" The Kabutops looked down, sneering at the Kirlia standing at its feet. Annabelle's eyes were wide open, her body trembling and her breathing was fast and erratic: she was absolutely terrified.

"It's… it's… it's a… a… m… m… m… m-m-m-mon… m-m-m-m-monster…" stammered an utterly horrified Annabelle. The Kabutops smirked at the Kirlia, baring his sharp teeth.

"What's wrong, little monster?" said the Kabutops with a gruff, yet calm voice, "Can't stand being in the presence of your own kind?" Annabelle said not a word. The Kabutops laughed to himself.

"Not so tough after all, are you?" said the Kabutops, brandishing his claws in a most menacing manner as his booming voice echoed in the auditorium, "You would learn well to not be so eager to deal out suffering and especially death! Perhaps I should show you the same courtesy as you showed that hapless Sableye?" The trainer was observing all of this and could not believe what she was witnessing.

"Wait!" said the flabbergasted Pokémon trainer with stark disbelief, "You're a Pokémon… and can talk?"

"Most perceptive, human," said the Kabutops calmly, "Now, if you'll kindly excuse me, your little cohort here needs to be taught a lesson and I would rather not have any more interference, if you please." The trainer looked into the Kabutops's eyes. She didn't know why, but she could tell there was something very strange about this prehistoric creature, yet she could not put her finger on it. Just then, she began to feel a strange sensation of calmness as the Kabutops's eyes began to glow with an eerie, bluish light.

"Wait…" said the trainer, feeling a great and sudden urge to fall asleep while she began teetering back on forth on her feet, "Kabutops can't… learn… hypnosis…"

"It would appear I have dispelled that myth, am I right, young one?" asked the Kabutops.

"Yeah…" said the trainer as she dropped to her knees and then gently fell to the soft, yet dusty carpet in a deep sleep.

"Now then…" said the Kabutops as it turned its gaze upon the mortified young Kirlia, "…To take care of you." Annabelle let out a bloodcurdling scream as Simon stepped towards her.

"What's the matter?" asked the Kabutops with a harsh tone of voice, "You can't face someone in a fair fight? I'm more than willing to give you one." Annabelle was trembling as she opened her mouth, but instead of saying anything, the young Kirlia blacked out and dropped to the floor flat onto her back. The Kabutops snorted with contempt, crossed his claws in front of his chest and slowly swiveled his head back and forth with pity. Gremlin was still in agony and was all but certain now that he would have to face his doom at the hands of his "savior."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" coughed Gremlin, "No doubt you're a member of the Blight and you wanted to take me down yourself… so, finish me off already and be done with it…"

"I beg your pardon?" thundered the Kabutops with utmost indignation, turning around to look down upon the fallen ghost, "How dare you lump me in with those psychotic, bloodthirsty harbingers of death! Perish the thought of me ending your life!"

"Okay, okay…" said Gremlin weakly, "I'm sorry for saying that."

"Apology accepted," said the Kabutops, "At any rate, you're safe now." Gremlin finally managed to regain his composure and some of his strength: enough for him to slowly sit up on his own.

"Safe are we?" asked Gremlin, "What about that trainer and that Kirlia? What will we do if they wake up soon? I'm too weak to try and run away now…"

"They will be out cold for at least the next five hours," replied the calm Kabutops, "Nothing to worry about." Gremlin said not a word as he sat on the red carpeting of the auditorium for several minutes, trying to regain his strength and relax. However, this was quickly becoming impossible as the lone Kabutops continued to stare at Gremlin with curiosity.

"Okay!" said Gremlin with impatience, "Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on my face?"

"Well, I hope you will forgive me, but I have a hard time believing that you are the powerful phantom which has supposedly haunted this building for decades," said the Kabutops, shrugging his shoulders, "I guess I really should not believe all the rumors I hear of strong Pokémon and potential adversaries around the world. You think after living on this earth for several million years, I would have learned that by now." Gremlin was struck speechless by this statement.

"Hold the phone!" said Gremlin with disbelief, "You heard there was sort of malicious spirit hanging out at this dance hall?" The Kabutops nodded his head in reply.

"Indeed I did," answered the Kabutops. Gremlin smiled and erupted with maniacal laughter.

"Wow! I'm famous! Word must have finally gotten around about when I scared everyone out of this building!" said Gremlin with glee. The Kabutops scowled at the proud Sableye.

"If I remember correctly, fame is one thing you really cannot afford," cautioned the Kabutops, "I must say, I have not seen one of your kind in ages."

"'Your Kind'?" shouted the Sableye angrily, "What the heck do you exactly mean by that?"

"Relax," said the Kabutops with a very calm voice, "You have nothing to fear from me. I know who you are… what you are."

"Then elaborate, Mr. Know-It-All!" snapped Gremlin angrily. The dismayed Kabutops leaned back against one of the seats in the front row of the auditorium, closed its eyes and slowly shook his head back and forth.

"Please…" said the annoyed Kabutops, "It's very obvious. For starters, you are precisely one foot taller than the average Sableye. Second, you, like I, know the Blight is after you. Lastly, even I can sense the immense aura of power about your body. You are, without a doubt, a descendant from an ancient group of Pokémon, known only as the Order of Twining Shadows. You're lucky I found you first before one of my… less civilized brothers found you." Gremlin was astonished at how the Kabutops seemed to know so much about him, although he surely had never met this ancient Pokémon before ever in his life.

"Have we met before?" asked an awestruck Gremlin.

"No, we have not," replied the Kabutops with a nod of his head. Gremlin was quite comforted to know this Kabutops was quite civilized and that he was not going to attack him after all. Nonetheless, Gremlin was still dumbfounded about one thing.

"May I ask why exactly you are here?" asked Gremlin.

"I'll be blunt," replied the Kabutops with a heavy sigh, "I came here after hearing about a great phantom, which had been haunting the Alakaz Hall of Dance and Performance for a number of decades. I intended to challenge the powerful spirit to honorable combat, but I never expected to find an inexperienced and untrained whelp like you here instead. No offense."

"None taken…" said Gremlin with despair, "Is that really the only reason you are here?" The Kabutops swiveled his head back and forth as he stood back up on his feet.

"Yes," answered the Kabutops, "I came here looking for a fight, but instead, I believe I found something much more important."

"And what would that be?" grumbled Gremlin, now feeling strong enough to stand up on his own.

"I do believe I have found someone who needs training, experience and a lot of guidance if he is to ever fulfill his destiny," said the Kabutops, "You are a member of the Order of Twining Shadows. Admit it."

"Yes, I am," replied Gremlin with a nod of his head.

"Then you do realize the danger you are now in, do you not?" asked the Kabutops, "If I managed to discover you here in Alakaz, what makes you think others won't try to find the 'Legendary Phantom of Alakaz'?"

"You must be joking!" laughed Gremlin.

"It is no joke;" warned the Kabutops, "Tell me: why did you come to this city in the first place?"

"That's easy. I came here to escape and hide from the Blight," answered Gremlin with a smile, "Even if I was found out, a bunch of renegade Pokémon would not dare start an uproar in a big city. The humans would never stand for it."

"There is only one problem with your plan now," said the Kabutops, taking several steps forward until he was face to face with the overconfident Sableye, "In case you have not noticed, you are living on the outskirts of a dying city. All the blocks surrounding this old dance hall have been abandoned for years. To make matters worse, a lot of Pokémon have heard stories about this building being haunted by a powerful ghost. Others may come here looking for a fight, much like I did. Most importantly, since there are no practically no humans around for almost a quarter of a mile in any direction here, what will stop the Blight from infiltrating this area and eventually finding you?"

"Oh…" said Gremlin, his toothy grin replaced with a frown in an instant, "I see…"

"I think it's quite obvious that you can't stay here much longer," said the Kabutops with a serious tone of voice, "You are welcome to travel with me. I roam the earth seeking powerful Pokémon to do battle with, so I'm never in one place for long. The Blight would be very hard pressed to find us if we're constantly on the move. There is much I can teach you as well."

"I guess," said Gremlin, shrugging his shoulders, "But why would you want me to travel with you, anyway?"

"You still haven't put all the pieces of this puzzle together yet in your mind, have you?" said the Kabutops, chuckling warmly to himself, "You are one of only a handful of descendants from the Order of Twining Shadows. The Blight is pursuing you for this reason alone because you could be a threat to them one day. Not to mention the blatant fact that you are severely inexperienced and really have yet to truly understand your powers. Because of this, they are most likely intent on destroying you before you adequately mature. Now, I am more than willing to take you on as my protégé."

"You really want to teach me?" asked Gremlin with disbelief.

"I do," replied the Kabutops, "That is, unless you would rather stay here, unprotected and sooner or later wind up as the latest victim of the Blight. I won't force you to come with me, so the choice is completely up to you."

"Are you psychic or what?" asked Gremlin with a raised eyebrow, "Can you see the future or something and know my fate, but won't tell me? I really don't believe or understand why you want me travel with you, let alone why you want to take me along as your student." The Kabutops nodded his head once.

"Not to mention the fact that I can help protect you from the Blight, as well," remarked the Kabutops.

"Maybe you're right," said Gremlin as a grin crept across his face, "All you had to do was stare at that Kirlia and threaten her a bit and 'Thud!' Down she went." The Kabutops laughed.

"Hardly a proper demonstration of my power," chuckled the Kabutops, "At any rate, my offer stands. There is a lot I can teach you. By the time I am finished with you, you will be more than capable of facing your foes, even the strongest ones, on your own. What shall it be?" Gremlin paused for a few moments to reconsider. The fact that a random Pokémon was offering to train him after only a matter of minutes of meeting each other just seemed downright ludicrous. Then again, leaving Alakaz on his own would be much more dangerous than heading out into the world with some company, even though Gremlin was more than a little doubtful of this Kabutops's power.

"Okay, then," said Gremlin, looking the Kabutops straight in its eyes, "If I accompany you on your journey, you promise that you will train me to the best of your ability and will do everything you can to protect me."

"That much I can promise," said the Kabutops with determination.

"Then I'll come with you," said a confident Gremlin.

"Very good," said the Kabutops, clanging his claws together once, "Pack whatever you need to take with you and we'll be off." Gremlin was just about to run upstairs to his room in the abandoned 4th floor apartments, when a rather important thought suddenly crossed his mind.

"Hold on," said Gremlin, "I don't believe I caught your name."

"There are many who call me the Hunted One," said the Kabutops, "You may call me by my true name: Simon. And what is your name?"

"I'm Gremlin," said the Sableye with a friendly smile.

"Gremlin! Of course!" said the Kabutops, doubled over with laughter, "I should have known it was you!" By this point, Gremlin was starting so suspect his new teacher was most definitely more unhinged than he was.

"Dare I ask how you know about me?" demanded Gremlin.

"Oh, it's quite simple," said Simon cheerfully, "A few years ago; I challenged your father, Asmodeus, to honorable combat. Our fight must have lasted for hours, but I was eventually the victor. Nonetheless, your father begged me, saying that if I ever found his son that I would please train him. He wanted nothing more than for his son to get the experience he so desperately needs, not to mention ample protection from the Blight. I do love challenges and I figured training you would be an immense challenge indeed. Therefore, I agreed."

"Ah. That explains a lot," said Gremlin, shrugging his shoulders, "If my dad trusts you that much, then I think I should as well. I'll be ready to go within the hour."

"Very good," said Simon with a nod of his head, "We definitely need to be on our way well before they wake up." Simon pointed at the sleeping Pokémon trainer and then at the fallen Kirlia. As Gremlin gazed upon his sleeping adversary, an evil smile crept across his face.

"Now what are you scheming?" demanded Simon.

"Well," said Gremlin, shrugging his shoulders once again while grinning at his new teacher, "Since that little Kirlia saw fit to break my eye, I think I owe her something in return."

"Hmmmm…" said Simon, narrowing his eyes at the mischievous Sableye, "I'm not one to condone revenge…" Gremlin's smile faded in an instant, "But…" continued Simon, "What did you have in mind?" The hours ticked by one after another and soon, twilight was beginning to fall upon the city of Alakaz. Still lying on her back in the dilapidated dance hall was Annabelle the Kirlia. By now, she was finally starting to wake up and she had but one thing on her mind: vengeance.

"Confound that horrid Kabutops…" thought Annabelle angrily as she started to open her eyes, "How dare he interfere with my battle!" The young Kirlia's vision was quite blurry and she couldn't even see her hand clearly in front of her face.

"No matter," thought Annabelle with malignant glee, "I'm bound to run into those two again sooner or later. I'll show them! They won't get away with embarrassing me! They'll never get the drop on me again! Ever!" Annabelle soon noticed an odd sensation on her stomach, as if something fairly heavy was resting on her.

"What's this?" thought Annabelle with mix of dread and immense rage, "Oh… if that Sableye is trying to cuddle with me, I really will kill him!" Annabelle rubbed her eyes a few times, managing to clear her vision, but in a few moments, she would regret doing so. Meanwhile, in the desert sands, not far from the very edge of Alakaz, stood Simon with Gremlin following close behind. The sun was nearly under the horizon and dusk would soon fall upon the vast, sandy wasteland. Gremlin paused for a moment, coming to a complete stop. Simon stopped walking as well to glance over his left shoulder at his new student.

"Is something bothering you?" asked Simon with concern. Gremlin smirked as the sun finally set behind him. Gremlin merely grinned when he heard a faint, yet unmistakable bloodcurdling scream coming from the abandoned outskirts of Alakaz.

"Nothing, nothing at all," cackled Gremlin, "Although, I do believe Annabelle found that little present I left her. I can't imagine a girl who would not enjoy waking up with a full-sized and very lifelike Ariados plush toy sitting on her." Simon laughed to himself.

"There's nothing wrong with giant spiders, if you ask me. Hopefully, that immature Kirlia has become, at the least, a bit wiser today," said Simon as he resumed his hike into the desert with Gremlin close behind.

"Yeah, like that'll ever happen…" said the grinning Sableye. As Simon and Gremlin marched off towards the darkening horizon, the desert scenery began to dissolve, becoming more and more blurry as blackness overtook everything in sight. Crystal opened her eyes, finding herself back in the Alakaz Dance Hall, sitting on a bench with her loving Sableye husband at her side.

"And there you have it, my love," said Gremlin tenderly.

"So that's how you met Simon," said Crystal, leaning against Gremlin with a smile on her face, "That sure was nice of him to take you as his student."

"I would not realize for a long time just how honored I was to have him as a teacher," admitted Gremlin, "Especially not until I learned he had not trained anyone in centuries. Nonetheless, despite my tendency to get on his nerves by pulling pranks and just being an annoyance for a lot of the time, he continued to train me. I learned a lot under his tutelage and gained a wealth of combat experience during my years as his protégé. Oddly enough, Simon knew and taught me a great deal about Ghost Forme as well, although he could not use it as he did not have the same kind of power that I possess." Crystal looked out a nearby window and quickly realized that the sun was starting to set.

"How about we continue this conversation over dinner?" suggested a happy Crystal, "Besides, I'll bet K-1 is going to call us upstairs for our meal any moment now." Gremlin nodded his head in agreement as he looked over his lovely Kirlia.

"Probably, my little ballerina," said Gremlin, putting his left arm around Crystal's lower torso, "Tell you what, I'll show you the dance hall's basement tomorrow. There are all kinds of neat things down there I think you will like."

"Ooh! Like fancy dance costumes?" asked Crystal with enthusiasm.

"That and so much more," said Gremlin with a sweet tone of voice, "Now then, I do believe we should be on our way." Before Crystal could say another word, Gremlin once again got his arms around his Kirlia wife and gently laid her out over his left shoulder. Crystal giggled happily and kicked her feet.

"You can't make me go to dinner, you little beast!" laughed Crystal, "Put me down this instant!"

"I don't think so, my little princess," cackled Gremlin as he stood up and proceeded to carry his lovely mate offstage, "You have no choice in this matter. No choice at all…" As Gremlin carefully walked down the center aisle with Crystal over his shoulder, the young Kirlia couldn't help but wonder what wonderful things were in store for her and Gremlin tomorrow. Also, she wondered if anything interesting had been happening in Olympus or even the village of Gardev as of late.

"Probably not…" thought Crystal as Gremlin carried her onward.

**-139-**

By now, twilight had again fallen over the vast expanse of the Gardev Region. Night was soon upon the small and quiet mountain village of Gardev as a lone female Gardevoir cautiously made her way through the Gardev Mansion. For the second night in a row, Aura was adorned in her lovely, shimmering ballet dress and slippers. This time; however, the young ballerina had decided to head to the ball room to dance at a later hour so she would not be noticed. It seemed like everyone else in the mansion was either sleeping or elsewhere, either in their bedrooms, one of the game rooms or enjoying a light snack in the mansion's lavish dining room. Aura slowly stepped into the silent ballroom, quickly turning on several of the overhead lights using a set of switches and knobs mounted on one side of the double-doored entryway. It did not take long for Aura to notice that something was amiss in the vast chamber. There was a slight chemical smell lingering in the air. She glanced down at the hard word floor to see that someone had thoroughly polished the dance floor. She could almost see a perfect reflection of herself. Aura couldn't help but blush and giggle when she moved her fluffy skirt to one side in order to get a better look at the floor. The highly-reflective floor now acted as a mirror and Aura was definitely glad to be wearing bloomers under her lovely skirt. The female Guardian let go of her skirt and gently brushed her left foot across the floor only to discover the wooden boards were much more slippery than they were yesterday.

"This could be challenging," thought Aura, unmoved in her determination and desire to dance, "I remember practicing in George and Joyce's ballet studio on days when the floors had been freshly polished and cleaned. I never fell down once despite the bad conditions, although the same could not be said for some of my friends…" Aura giggled to herself with glee and great anticipation as she again stood up on her tip-toes, ready to resume the remembrance of her ballet training. The Gardevoir ballerina closed her eyes, taking a few graceful yet cautious steps forward on the shimmering dance floor. She smiled: the floorboards were certainly not going to be a hindrance to her.

"I'll just start off slowly and cautiously before I try some faster and more difficult techniques," thought Aura. The winged ballerina began to dance with slow and graceful motions. Again, she needed no music as a guide and the only sounds which punctuated the stillness of the ballroom were the gentle rustling of her skirt and petticoats as well as the gentle tapping of her ballet slippers on the floor. While Aura moved to her own silent rhythm, not caring about what might have been going on around her; two figures were watching her closely, concealed by the shadows of a darkened hallway on the opposite end of the massive ball room.

"I can't believe I'm doing this…" whispered a very nervous Mack with dread, reaching up with his right hand to wipe some sweat off of his brow. Behind the vexed male Guardian, stood Angel; the Gardevoir seamstress still adorned in her wedding splendor.

"I, however, can't believe that you, of all the male Gardevoirs in the world, would come visit me early in the morning to ask for a set of ballet attire," giggled Angel happily. She quietly looked Mack over as he stood, trembling with fear in his new dress and slippers, which were an exact copy of the traditional design worn by all Kirlia, Gardevoir and even Gallade ballet dancers, whether they were male or female. This fact did little to ease Mack's nerves.

"I don't think I can thank you enough for doing this for me," said Mack, taking a deep breath as Angel continued to look over his ballet dress, making sure that everything was absolutely perfect, "Sorry if I put you through any trouble."

"It's my pleasure. You need not worry about being a bother to me," said Angel with a friendly smile, "Besides, you should have seen the look on Ramirez's face when I told him I would need to spend much of the day working on an emergency sewing project."

"Speaking of which," said Mack as he reached behind his back and gently straightened the large white bow with its trailing ribbons on the back of his waist, "How is Ramirez doing? I hope he's not angry…" Angel took a few steps back, giggling happily as she continued to admire her handiwork.

"Oh, he was annoyed at first," replied Angel, "But then he decided to sit in a nearby chair and pass the time by watching me at work. Ramirez was quite amazed, watching me work with such precision and speed on your dress. He smiled much of the time as he stared at me and would even sing to help pass the time."

"Glad to hear that," said Mack, still nervous as he lifted up the front of his fluffy skirt and stared at the white, puffy bloomers that reached down to just above his knees, "Still, do I really have to wear these bloomers?" Angel laughed quietly to herself as she stepped behind Mack to get a better look at the laces and buttons that kept the bodice and wing slits on the dress firmly secure on the Guardian's body.

"They are part of the traditional attire, Mack. They are worn for the sake of modesty, so you'd best get used to them," replied Angel as she then spoke in a mischievous tone of voice, "That is, unless you intend to perform a plethora of techniques with the chance of someone getting a look up your skirt and at your underwear…" Mack blushed deeply and let go of his skirt, letting it and his petticoats fall back in place around his legs. Again, Angel laughed to herself.

"You know I'm just teasing you, Mack," giggled Angel, "I am your sister, after all."

"I know," said Mack, feeling his uneasiness lift away just a bit, "This means a lot to me, Angel. Thank you."

"You're welcome," said Angel cheerfully, "Although I suspect you aren't about to go out into the ball room with Aura and start learning ballet for just yourself, eh?" Mack nodded his head in reply as Angel stepped in front of the nervous Guardian.

"Well, I'm mostly doing this for Aura," answered Mack as he looked past Angel, watching his wife continue her dancing alone in the ball room.

"That's so sweet…" said a happy Angel, "I don't suppose she ever told you have much she enjoys ballet, did she?"

"I don't think so," said Mack, "Then again, maybe she didn't want to overwhelm me. In fact, a few days ago, Aura came down to the lab to talk about how she wanted to take me to Olympus in six months or so to be fitted for ballet attire and then to arrange having an instructor come to Gardev to give us lessons."

"I guess she was just letting you know ahead of time what she really wanted from you," suggested Angel, "And now, that Gardevoir is about to get one heck of a surprise. Say, did you know Aura was quite close to earning her tiara?"

"I think I heard something about that," replied Mack, keeping his gaze fixed on the graceful and lovely ballerina who continued to dance in the ballroom, "Still, I can't help but wonder why her dream did not come to fruition." Angel nodded her head and leaned against the wall on Mack's left side.

"Ramirez told me the story of how Aura was well on her way to not just getting her tiara, along with the rank of ballet master, but she was also only a few years away from becoming a dance instructor as well," explained Angel.

"What happened?" asked Mack quietly, pointing at his lovely dancing wife with his right hand, "I mean, just look at Aura now. She has not performed ballet for several years and she still has the skill, grace and moves of a true professional." Angel let out a gentle sigh.

"Glacian had Aura become the next Guardian of Gardev," answered Angel, "Therefore, your mate had to give up ballet and come down here to live in this isolated village. As the only Guardian at the time, she had to stay in the village no matter what. Thus, she would not be able to perform on stage in Olympus even if she had earned her tiara, let alone teach classes since her duties as Guardian have always had to come first and foremost. On top of that, back then, Glacian had forbidden anyone from regularly journeying to Gardev, except for members of his own family." Mack nodded his head with understanding.

"Well, I think all of that has changed," said Mack, gathering up his courage, "And now, I'll be joining her on that dance floor as not just her dance partner, but as her loving husband, determined to learn how to dance at her side." Angel smiled and giggled to herself.

"You're such a romantic," said Angel with happiness, "But, I have to wonder: are you really going to learn ballet just for Aura? I can't help but wonder what else is on your mind." Mack coughed quietly a few times to clear his throat.

"I want to dance so Aura will be happy, but there is another reason," said Mack hesitantly, "I don't know why, but I… well… after seeing Aura dance here yesterday evening, I felt like… I felt like I needed to dance, too."

"I see," said Angel sweetly as she walked up to Mack and faced him, "Mack, you are a Gardevoir; you do know that, right? All Gardevoirs have a natural desire to dance as well as a desire to keep their mates happy. We innately know a number of ballet techniques, but very few ever pursue dancing as a career."

"If you ask me, I strongly believe Aura can still live out her dream of performing and teaching," said Mack, "I really want to help her achieve that goal."

"Then get out there and dance with her already," said Angel with a smile, pointing into the ball room with her left hand, "Don't keep that lovely and loving princess of yours waiting." Mack nodded and slowly stepped forward. He paused, glancing at a small table in the hallway. To think he had almost forgotten to take something to Aura which she surely would appreciate.

"Wait…" said Angel softly, "Isn't that Aura's wedding tiara?" Mack nodded his head as he reached behind his back and gently slid the wondrous platinum and diamond piece of jewelry under a few laces of his dress.

"Just a special, little treat for her," was Mack's reply as the male Guardian made his way into the ballroom. Even after several minutes, Aura was still rehearsing the many steps and techniques that lay in her mind. As Mack approached, Aura put her back towards her mate, not knowing he was there. She spread out her arms and wings, leaning forward with a graceful bow. Aura held this pose for a few moments, ending her solo performance and was amazed at just how much she had remembered, even though she had not danced in many years since the day before. Suddenly, Aura gasped and looked over her shoulder when she heard someone clapping their hands together behind her. Aura looked on with amazement, completely stunned as Mack walked up to her, dressed in traditional and very beautiful Gardevoir ballet attire. Mack smiled as he came to a stop three feet behind his wife. The male Guardian nodded his head appreciatively as he stopped clapping and let his arms gently rest at his sides.

"That was a most stirring and wonderful performance, my dear," said Mack with a sweet and tender voice, "You were sensational, my princess. Perhaps a lovely ballerina like yourself would be willing to help a guy like me learn how to dance?" Aura was absolutely speechless and moved not a muscle as Mack walked up and then gently wrapped his arms around the astonished female Gardevoir in a loving embrace.

"Did I surprise you, Aura?" asked Mack softly. After what seemed like several minutes passing, Aura was finally able to speak.

"I must be dreaming…" said Aura, closing her eyes, still not believing what she was seeing, "Mack would never willingly wear Gardevoir ballet attire."

"What makes you think that, my love?" said Mack, gazing into his mate's eyes, "A wise husband does whatever he can to keep his wife happy, even if that means he has to step out of his comfort zone time and again." Aura smiled, blushing slightly as she also held onto her mate in a gentle embrace. She only paused and released her husband when she felt something cool and rather hard stuck under some of the laces of her mate's dress.

"What's this?" asked Aura as Mack released her from his embrace and then reached behind his back with his right hand.

"Just a little surprise," said Mack with a friendly smile. He brought his hand out from behind his back, clutching the sparkling tiara in his white fingers. Aura giggled with glee.

"Isn't that my wedding tiara, dear?" asked Aura cheerfully.

"Yes," said Mack tenderly, stepping up to face his mate, "I know it's not a real ballerina's tiara, but there is something I wish to tell you…" Aura stayed perfectly still as Mack reached up with both of his hands and ever so gently slid the tiara into his wife's soft green hair. Aura giggled happily and blushed slightly from her mate's tender touch.

"You are very talented indeed, Aura," said Mack who, as soon as the tiara was secure in his mate's hair, embraced the delighted ballerina, "Your dream is to one day be a ballet master so you can get to perform on stage for thousands of onlookers. Not only that, but you want to be a ballet teacher."

"I don't recall mentioning that to you before, Mack," said a surprised Aura, "How did you know?"

"I asked around," replied Mack with a smile, "Nonetheless, I want you to know that I, as your husband, want to help you realize these goals one day." The two Guardians blushed, holding each other tightly. Mack only ended the embrace briefly to gently straighten out his wife's sparkling tiara.

"One day, my princess, you will have a real ballerina's tiara in your hair: you will be a master-level ballet dancer," said Mack sweetly while placing his hands on Aura's waist, "Then, just maybe, you will have a red sash around your waist, too."

"Is that all you have to say?" giggled Aura with joy.

"No," said Mack, leaning over to whisper into Aura's left ear, "I will help you achieve those dreams at your side as your dancing partner. After all, if we're both going to teach ballet one day, I will also need to earn a tiara and a red sash. I love you, my princess and I want you to be happy…" The Guardians held each other tightly and kissed passionately. Angel smiled, watching as the Guardians' pendants began to glow brightly with blue and red light. Mack and Aura soon broke their kiss and gazed upon each other's smiling and blushing faces.

"So, you're okay with dancing in a white dress and slippers?" asked Aura with a sweet smile.

"And bloomers," answered Mack, chuckling nervously.

"You don't have to do this, you know," said Aura, "Are you really sure you want to dance with me?"

"I'll see this through to the end, when we have our tiaras and sashes," said Mack resolutely, "Who knows, maybe after we retire as Guardians we can spend some time teaching ballet in Olympus?"

"Or at least teaching our children," said Aura tenderly. The two lovers blushed and Angel was giggling to herself quietly.

"Mack, you are such a sweetheart," thought Angel with joy, "No doubt Aura is very happy and delighted with this turn of events." The elated ballerina released her mate from her embrace and took several steps away from him.

"Is… something wrong, my love?" asked Mack hesitantly.

"No," was Aura's cheerful reply, "I just wanted to ask: would you please dance for me? Surely you saw me dancing earlier. Do you think you can duplicate what I demonstrated?"

"Why? Do you intend to be my teacher?" asked a smiling Mack, "You don't have that sash yet, Aura."

"But I do have a tiara," said Aura with a smirk, "So that makes me a higher ranked dancer than you. Show me what you have… my pretty prince." Mack burst out with laughter.

"As you wish, my princess," said Mack, smiling with a slight bow towards his loving wife. Aura watched as Mack stood up on his tip-toes with his arms held up slightly from his sides to help keep his balance. Mack held this pose for about a minute, gathering his courage and hoping he knew what he was doing.

"Well… here goes nothing," thought Mack. The male Guardian concentrated, closing his eyes, trying to focus only on what he was about to attempt. Mack clearly remembered the solo performance Aura had managed just moments ago, but could he really pull it off an exactly the same way? The Guardian felt a strange sense of confidence and somehow… he felt like he already knew precisely what to do and how to accomplish it. Most importantly, Mack didn't feel embarrassed or even the slight bit nervous that he was about to perform ballet.

"For all the Ralts, Kirlias, Gardevoirs and Gallades in the world, it is their way of life and completely normal for both genders to dance in the same manner and even in the same kind of clothing," thought Mack with growing confidence, "I have nothing to worry about, even if I am dancing in a dress of all things. Then again, I do that regularly with Aura in my ball gown and wedding attire. Let's see what I can do." Mack took his first step with Aura watching closely as Mack carefully made his first movements. One graceful step led to another. Before long, the male Gardevoir, who had never danced before in such a fashion, was performing technique after technique with fluid and absolutely flawless movements. Aura watched Mack with amazement as he followed her earlier performance in the ballroom with stunning success. Yet, Aura figured that her mate would succeed, though she did not understand why she had such faith in Mack while he continued to dance on his own. Angel, on the other hand, could not believe what she was witnessing.

"How can this be?" thought an astounded Angel, "Mack is dancing like a professional, but… he's never performed ballet in his life! Unless…" Angel continued to watch Mack closely. The only sounds breaking the silence in the hallway and the ballroom were from Mack's satin slippers gently tapping on the heavily polished wooden floor and the soft rustling of the fluffy petticoats underneath his skirt.

"Unless Mack really has performed ballet before," thought Angel, considering the possibilities, "He is over 29,000 years old and has visited several different dimensions during his life, or so I've been told. Maybe he's had to disguise himself as a vixen ballerina on more than one occasion, either to escape capture or in order to infiltrate a given area?" In a flash, Angel quickly reconsidered her crazy assumptions.

"Then again, maybe I don't want to know," thought Angel, shrugging her shoulders while continuing to watch Mack's amazing performance, "At any rate, Mack is simply incredible at ballet, just like Aura. It would not surprise me if he and Aura earn their tiaras within the next year. Then maybe, just maybe, they will earn their sashes within a year or two after that." For Aura and Angel, Mack's dancing was absolutely spellbinding. Aura couldn't help but smile, watching with delight while her mate danced with utmost grace and precision. Mack continued his solo routine for another ten minutes or so, matching Aura's previous movements and steps perfectly. Finally, the male Guardian ended his performance, with his back facing Aura; he leaned forward with a graceful bow while spreading out his majestic wings. Aura and Angel clapped their hands together and cheered with sheer delight, applauding Mack for his captivating first performance. Mack glanced over his left shoulder, smiling as he finally set his feet down flat on the dance floor while folding up his beautiful wings behind his back. Mack twirled around quickly, coming to a complete stop in an instant to face Aura. The elated female Guardian laughed and ran up to her mate, tightly wrapping her arms around him in a loving embrace.

"Oh, Mack…" said Aura tenderly, "You were perfect… I didn't know why, but somehow, I just knew you would succeed." Mack nodded his head, smiling at his overjoyed wife.

"It just felt so natural. I actually felt like I knew what I was doing the whole time," said Mack with a gentle tone of voice while he embraced his loving wife. Aura leaned back just enough so she could be face to face with her husband.

"This is unbelievable," said Aura, still greatly amazed, "Where on earth could you have learned to dance like that?"

"I think the answer is quite simple," said Mack, chuckling warmly, "Remember, my love: when we were bound to the same body and mind, we traded strengths, traits and knowledge to each other once we were safely separated. How about that, my princess? You gained immense knowledge about my technologies as well as mastery with a variety of weapons. I, on the other hand, got dance lessons out of the trade." The two Guardians laughed and held each other tighter. Even Angel couldn't help but giggle to herself, having overheard the Guardians' conversation. Aura was overjoyed, knowing her mate was actually going to dance with her and also work hard to help her realize her dreams of earning her tiara as well as hopefully becoming a ballet instructor one day. Aura ran her fingers over Mack's back, feeling the soft fabric and the delicate embroidery on his dress.

"So, Mack?" asked Aura sweetly, "You don't mind having to wear a traditional ballet dress?"

"What can I say?" said Mack, smiling and shrugging his shoulders, "It's comfortable and very easy to move in. The petticoats are definitely a lot fluffier and lighter than the ones under the skirt of my wedding dress. Not to mention how modest this ensemble is. All in all, wearing this outfit is not as bad as I had imagined it would be."

"That's good to hear, dear," giggled Aura, "So, when did you get that dress? Have you been keeping it secret from me for a long time?" Mack leaned forward, quickly kissing Aura on her lips.

"Our new sister-in-law, Angel, was kind enough to make this set of ballet attire, just for me earlier today," answered Mack.

"You know what this means, don't you?" asked Aura sweetly, "It means you will need to wear your ballet attire for at least the next two weeks as much as you can. It is Gardevoir tradition that all new attire be worn for a few weeks after its owner puts it on for the first time." Mack broke his loving embrace with Aura in an instant: his eyes wide open with shock.

"Hold on!" said a very surprised Mack, "I remember having to wear my wedding dress for a few weeks as per tradition of the Gardevoirs, but how come I didn't have to wear my ball gown for two weeks as well, Aura?"

"I guess you got off easy that time," giggled Aura, stepping towards her mate, "Tell you what: I'll wear my ballet attire too, just so you won't feel out of place as much for the next few weeks. Does that sound good to you, love?"

"I guess that will help," said Mack with a heavy sigh.

"I don't see what you're complaining about, honey," said Aura, grinning at her handsome male Gardevoir, "You look absolutely beautiful in your new dress."

"You're not making me feel better, Aura," said a worried Mack.

"Just imagine the day when we get to become full-fledged performers. Sometimes, parts for ballets are handed out randomly and there are occasions when roles are reversed;" said the smirking ballerina, "Just think about it, my love. With your lovely, majestic wings and pretty dress, you would make a wonderful swan princess." Mack said not a word, staring at Aura is if she was insane.

"Oh, Aura… the things I do to keep you happy…" said Mack, sighing with despair, "Saying I'm 'Beautiful' doesn't exactly help me feel any better, either…" Aura merely giggled and embraced her mate once again.

"You'll be just fine, Mack, one way or another," said Aura sweetly, "By the way, I should mention it's considered to be quite a compliment when a female Gardevoir says to her mate that he's pretty or beautiful."

"And why is that?" asked a curious Mack.

"Because you will never be as pretty or beautiful as I am," said Aura, winking at her husband.

"Ha! Ain't it the truth!" laughed Mack, now feeling somewhat better. He stepped forward and again wrapped his arms around his wife in a loving embrace.

"You really can't complain," whispered Aura sweetly to her loving mate, "After all, you're going to have a beautiful, sweet and very attractive ballerina all to yourself now for the rest of your life." Mack blushed and chuckled warmly as he continued to tightly embrace Aura.

"I suppose you are quite happy that I'm going to learn ballet with you?" asked Mack tenderly. Aura nodded her head.

"Oh, yes…" said Aura softly with glee, "Say, how about we try dancing together? Are you in the mood for a little duet before bed, my pretty prince?"

"I don't see why not," said Mack with a smile, "Let's try it." Aura nodded her head with affirmation. The lovers let go of one another and then proceeded to stand next to each with a little distance between the bottom edges of their fluffy skirts. Angel watched excitedly as the lovers stood up on their tip-toes, waiting for them to start dancing at any moment.

"This should be great!" thought a delighted Angel. The newlywed Gardevoir was going to get her wish, although not in the expected manner. Mack was just starting to make the first move when he suddenly lost traction on the freshly-polished floor. The male Guardian's feet seemed to slip out from under him. Aura looked over towards Mack, setting her feet down flat against the dance floor, clearly in shock as her mate fell backwards and landed rather hard on his back.

"Oof!" exclaimed Mack. The Guardian instantly sat up as Aura quickly closed the short distance between her husband and herself and knelt down next to him.

"Mack! Dear, are you okay?" asked Aura with concern.

"I think I'll be fine," replied Mack, "Man, how annoying…"

"Excuse me, young ladies," said an old man's voice from down one of the ballroom's adjoining hallways. Mack and Aura quickly turned their attention to the hallway at their left: there stood Warren, who was also rather surprised at what just happened.

"I'm sorry for not mentioning this sooner, but the dance floor in there was thoroughly oiled and polished earlier today, so now is a bad time to try dancing in there," said Warren, both concerned and rather embarrassed.

"What do you mean 'Young Ladies'?" demanded a bewildered Mack.

"Oh?" said Warren, slowly waking down the hallway and into the ballroom. The old mayor walked up to Mack and looked him over. Then, the mayor lifted his glasses off his face with his right hand to again look over the perplexed male Gardevoir. Again, Warren looked over Mack with his glasses on.

"Oh, dear…" said Warren with even more embarrassment and slight horror in his voice, "I'm very sorry, Mack. I didn't recognize you…" Mack said nothing, shocked at Warren's statements as the sage mayor slowly left the ballroom and began to walk down the nearest hallway with his head hung low.

"Gadzooks… Agatha was right…" murmured Warren, "I DO need to see an optometrist… and very soon at that!" Mack let out a sigh of despair as Aura helped him get back on his feet.

"I guess that's enough dancing for one night, huh?" asked Aura.

"I'll say," said Mack, putting his left arm around his mate, "I think I've had enough ballet for one evening."

"I would have to agree, Mack. Now, I'm going to head up to our room," said Aura, looking past her mate and down the hallway on the opposite side of the massive ball room, "I think Angel wants to say a few things to say to you. I'll be waiting, my love." Aura smiled, blushing as she and Mack released each other from their embrace. Aura winked at her mate, smiling seductively as she turned around and started walking out of the ballroom. Mack kept his eyes fixed on his lovely ballerina, watching her leave the ball room, walk down a short hallway and then out of sight when she rounded a corner. Angel walked up to Mack, holding her sparkling, jewel-encrusted skirt with her left hand, coming to a stop a few yards behind the love-struck male Gardevoir.

"I think it's safe to say your little premier went well, didn't it, Mack?" said Angel cheerfully. Mack quickly turned around to face Angel. For some reason, the male Guardian was not amused.

"You tricked me, Angel," said Mack with a sigh, "You didn't say anything about having to wear this ballet dress, slippers and bloomers for the next two weeks because of some ancient custom. Who ever came up with such a crazy tradition anyway?" Angel was dumbfounded at Mack's statement.

"You mean to tell me Aura never told you why that tradition was put in place?" asked a bewildered Angel.

"Heh…" said Mack with another sigh, "Aura really seems to be developing a bad habit of not telling me about certain Gardevoir traditions and customs until it is too late. Angel, would you please tell me why we always have to wear new outfits for at least two weeks?" Angel nodded her head in reply with a friendly smile on her face.

"Well, you do know how Gardevoir Satin is not an ordinary fabric and that we use it in all of our attire, right?" asked Angel. Mack replied by nodding his head with understanding.

"Well, not only is this wonderful fabric virtually indestructible, but it has some very interesting characteristics," explained Angel, "You see, Gardevoir Satin will actually completely change its size and shape so it always fits its owner perfectly. For example, a Kirlia wearing a ballet dress of Gardevoir Satin will not be harmed when she evolves into a Gardevoir while wearing her outfit. This is simply because the dress will immediately become larger and change its shape to fit on the body of its owner."

"I think I understand," said Mack.

"But…" continued Angel, "…The fabric must be in contact with its owner for a substantial period of time in order to properly bond with its owner. The process typically takes a week and a half, but that is only if you keep the outfit on the whole time. Since you're going to have to take it off to bathe or for other reasons, the tradition is that we must wear a new outfit for a minimum of two weeks in order for the Gardevoir Satin to properly bond with its owner."

"Fabric that changes with its wearer: that's very fascinating," remarked Mack, "It's also very clever."

"I don't know about you, but I would rather not have to be a Kirlia in the middle of a ballet class who suddenly evolves into a Gardevoir and ends up tearing through her dress and undergarments because her body size and shape change so much all of a sudden," said Angel with dread.

"I can agree with that!" said Mack fearfully.

"No kidding," said Angel with nervous laughter, before she started to speak with a more cheerful and relaxed voice, "Now, I think we better go on our separate ways. It's getting late and I have little doubt my handsome Ramirez is waiting for me."

"I'd best not keep Aura waiting as well," said Mack happily, "Angel, thank you again for helping me today. I really appreciate it, especially during your honeymoon."

"You are very welcome, Mack," said Angel sweetly, "You are my brother, after all. Besides, I imagine that us Guardians are going to have many wonderful years together in this village."

"I certainly hope so," said Mack cheerfully, "Goodnight, Angel."

"Goodnight, Mack," said Angel with a friendly smile. Angel and Mack then went their separate ways, off towards their own bedrooms for the night. The male Guardian leisurely walked down the mansion's hallways. The lighting had been dimmed down somewhat as night had fallen upon Gardev hours ago. The corridors were quiet, save for the Guardian's soft footsteps and the gentle rustling of the male Gardevoir's fluffy tutu. By now, nearly everyone in the mansion was asleep or on their way to bed, which was good for Mack as he was still somewhat uneasy of being seen by anyone in his new ballet attire. As the Guardian drew closer to his room, he couldn't help but wonder as well as worry about what he may have just gotten himself into.

"Heh…" thought Mack with a nervous smile, "I can only imagine what my family back home would think if they saw me now…" Just then, a nearby door swiftly swung open. Mack, greatly surprised, jumped and quickly turned to face the open doorway. It was rather hard to tell who was more surprised in this encounter: Mack or Simon the Kabutops. The ancient Pokémon was quite baffled as he looked Mack over.

"Excuse me, Guardian," said Simon hesitantly, "But why in the world are you dressed like that?" Mack let out a heavy sigh.

"I'll give you one guess," said Mack, now feeling somewhat more calm but still rather embarrassed from the unexpected meeting with Simon. The old Kabutops was about to reply to the Guardian's question, but before he could speak a single syllable, Aura called out from somewhere down the hallway.

"Oh, Mack!" said Aura with a sweet tone of voice, "Where art thou, my pretty prince? Your lovely ballerina eagerly awaits your arrival." Simon chuckled to himself.

"Well, I guess that explains a lot, doesn't it?" said Simon with understanding. Mack nodded his head.

"Pretty much," said Mack, laughing warmly, "Good night, Simon."

"Good night, Mack," said Simon in friendly manner. The two Pokémon said nothing more to each other as Mack was now on his way to join his mate. The Kabutops couldn't help but look at Mack: the winged male Gardevoir did look a bit goofy in a ballet dress with white slippers as far as Simon was concerned.

"And that is why I'm proud to be a Kabutops," thought Simon with dread, "No one will ever get ME into an outfit like that and then force me to perform ballet. No one…"


	8. Section 8

**-140-**

Gremlin and Crystal were happy as could be, but after a few days of spending their days dancing together, even this newly-wed couple of avid dancers began to tire of this. A week had passed since they were married and Gremlin had told his young Kirlia mate much about his past. Once again, the newlyweds started the day off with another delightful breakfast, prepared to perfection by K-1 and his small army of R-25 robots. Oddly enough, K-1 left the dance hall shortly after breakfast, claiming he had an important errand to take care of. That is, after he, Gremlin and Crystal spent another hour clearing yet more comatose avian Pokémon off the roof once again. Once the chore was taken care of, Gremlin decided to spend the day showing Crystal around the old dance hall. The Sableye explained how only half of the massive brick building was devoted towards performance: between the lavish front lobby, the large auditorium with a few thousand seats, the orchestra pit and the expansive stage. Behind the back wall of the stage and auditorium were two rows of dressing rooms with a wide hallway running in between. On the opposite ends of the hallway were massive closets where the stage props had been stored and had laid completely untouched for decades. Finally, once you got passed the dressing rooms, you entered the other half of the building, which was devoted entirely for dance lessons and practice for the old theater's many performers. There were six fairly large classrooms in all, each of them with a polished wooden floor and easily enough room for dozens of students or professional dancers. As for Crystal, she couldn't help but wonder what the condition of the entire building was like before her husband cleaned the whole place up just before she set foot in the once-dilapidated dance hall. Then again, perhaps she didn't want to know. Gremlin's tour took up almost the entire day. The newlyweds were so enthralled with looking around the old building, they almost skipped lunch. By now, the sun was starting to set as Gremlin, at last, showed his lovely wife the last room on the ground floor. Of course, as per Gardevoir tradition, the newlyweds were still wearing their wedding attire as a sign of celebration, but also, as Gremlin learned not long ago, so the enchanted fabric would bond with him and his wife.

"And so, there you have it," said Gremlin with a friendly smile, "This entire building possessed everything which was needed for grand performances and a multitude of classes. After all, the previous occupants taught every form of dance that was performed here." Crystal was quite impressed with the whole setup.

"You know what Gremlin? I can't help but think of when we get to teach, side by side, at our own ballet studio," giggled Crystal with glee and anticipation, "Of course, I look forward to both learning and teaching all the forms of dance you learned here at you side." Gremlin laughed nervously.

"Well… not all of the types of dance I know…" said Gremlin, blushing slightly with embarrassment, "There are a… select few varieties that I think would be best kept secret."

"You mean you won't teach me how to do the can-can or belly dancing?" asked Crystal with a smirk, "Just imagine the look on Mack's face when Aura asks him to learn those dances with her, hmmm?" Gremlin erupted with laughter at his wife's suggestion.

"That would… almost be worth the embarrassment and weeks of hard work," cackled Gremlin with glee, "Nonetheless, I must say no, my dear. That really wouldn't be such a good idea. I sincerely doubt even Aura would ask something like that from Mack." Crystal walked in front her mate and wrapped her arms tightly around him in a loving embrace. She looked deep into her Sableye's sparkling gemstone eyes.

"Well, how about you at least teach me? Then I could perform the can-can and belly dance…" said Crystal with a seductive smile as she leaned close to whisper into Gremlin's right ear, "Just for you…" Gremlin blushed and chuckled with glee.

"I suppose I could do that," said Gremlin with a loving smirk, "If it will make you happy."

"Oh, it will," said Crystal sweetly, with a slight nod of her head, "So then I can make you a very happy Sableye." Gremlin shrugged his shoulders and nodded his head a few times.

"I guess that can be arranged," said Gremlin cheerfully, "But you should probably be the one to commission proper outfits from Angel, in case we don't find anything you like downstairs."

"Not a problem," said Crystal, winking at Gremlin, "Say! That reminds me. You've shown me this entire building, but I don't recall seeing where the dance costumes were stored. You said this place had quite an elaborate collection."

"Oh, yeah!" said Gremlin, laughing warmly to himself, "I almost forgot. The costumes are kept in the basement. Would you like me to show you what's down there?"

"Most certainly," said Crystal cheerfully. Gremlin leaned forward and kissed his loving Kirlia on her lips.

"Then let's be on our way, my love," said Gremlin, "After all, dinner will probably be served in a few hours and I imagine you will want plenty of time to look around before then."

"Oh, yes please!" said Crystal, giggling with glee, "I'm hoping I'll find a few outfits down there worth keeping."

"Well, you will have to have Angel get them properly sized for you, but I don't see why not," said Gremlin, shrugging his shoulders, "Besides; the costumes were all abandoned over 30 years ago and no one ever came to claim them. In fact, I don't think anyone has been down in the basement for decades." The dark purple Sableye and blue-haired Kirlia kissed once more before releasing each other from their embrace. They then began their journey towards the auditorium. On the other side of the stage's back wall was a doorway that led to a stairway, which was brightly-lit and as well decorated as the rest of the dance hall. Gremlin took his time leading Crystal downstairs: the two lovers were just enjoying spending the time together. At the bottom of the stairway was a set of double doors, made of well-polished dark oak. Gremlin reached out with his right hand and gently grasped the doorknob of the door on the right.

"Prepare to be amazed, my dear," said Gremlin with a smile. The Sableye turned the doorknob. With a soft "Click" the door began to open as the lights in the basement flickered to life. Crystal was absolutely astonished at what lay before her in the massive room. Row after row of shelves and open closets revealed a menagerie of lavish costumes: the likes of which Crystal had never seen. All the fine garments were heavily decorated and still looked quite beautiful despite all the years they had been left in the basement. From what Crystal could tell, the owners of the dance hall had spared no expense on these wonderful outfits, all made just for the dancers to perform their arts before thousands of people every day.

"From what I witnessed, only the ladies and gentlemen who actually performed on stage ever got to make use of these outfits," explained Gremlin to his awestruck mate, "Students had to bring their own attire. As you can probably see, the outfits are organized depending on the style of dance they are made for." Crystal nodded her head with understanding.

"Even the best seamstress shop in Olympus has nothing on this!" said Crystal with amazement, rushing over to take a look at a closet, filled with several lavish ball gowns on padded hangers, "There is practically an outfit down here for any style of dance!" Gremlin nodded as he walked up behind his wife.

"That's quite true," said Gremlin cheerfully, "After all, the people here put on elaborate shows for many years. Between this ornate building, the high level of talent of the dancers and these costumes, this was THE place in all of the Gardev Region for high-class entertainment throughout the 50s, 60s and 70s. Of course, clothing is only part of the equation when it comes to a grand dance costume." Gremlin waved his right hand a few times at a large object behind his mate. Crystal jumped, startled by the sound of a soft "Click" from behind her.

"Whoa!" said Crystal as she quickly spun around to face Gremlin. The Sableye smiled nervously at his wife.

"Sorry about that," said Gremlin hesitantly, "I didn't mean to scare you… Please, turn to your right my dear and take a look inside the safe at your side."

"It's okay," said Crystal with a smile, "I know you didn't mean to scare me on purpose. So, what do we have here?" Crystal turned to her right as a heavy metal door, roughly 6 feet tall, opened up before the curious Kirlia. Gremlin smiled as Crystal's eyes opened wide and her jaw hung slack from shock. The back wall of the safe was at least 8 feet away and the heavy security container was filled to the brim with fine jewelry, the likes of which Crystal had never laid eyes on. In fact, the stunned Kirlia had never seen so much gold and precious stones in one place before as she never did visit the treasure room in the Olympus royal palace back home. Crystal reach out with both hands and carefully picked up a glimmering coin belt: one that was obviously meant for adorning a belly-dancer's waist. The gold coins sparkled brightly in the light.

"Gremlin!" exclaimed Crystal, turning around to face her husband, not believing what she was seeing, "Are these real?" Gremlin replied with a nod of his head.

"Every last bit of jewelry worn by the performers was stored in this vault;" said Gremlin with a friendly smile, "As you can tell, no one ever came to reclaim it. Practically anything you can imagine is in there. Bracelets, anklets, rings, tiaras and even a few crowns: all of them made of fine gold, silver and almost any precious stone you can imagine."

"I see," said Crystal, smiling while she gingerly laid the beautiful belt of gold coins back on its small shelf in the vault, "I think we should leave these here. Perhaps their rightful owners will come back one day to reclaim them?" Gremlin chuckled warmly as Crystal closed and locked the vault door.

"You are beautiful, talented, smart…" said Gremlin as he walked up to Crystal and embraced her, "…and also very wise. What more could a husband want than an honorable wife like you? I fully agree with you, my love: this collection of precious metals and jewels should indeed stay right here." Gremlin quickly kissed his blushing Kirlia on her lips. Crystal smiled while she wrapped her arms around the handsome Sableye.

"How about you show me around this room?" suggested the delighted Kirlia, "I imagine there is a lot more to see." Gremlin nodded his head, released Crystal from his embrace and then gently held onto her right hand.

"I'll be happy to," answered a cheerful Gremlin. The Sableye happily led Crystal around the basement, waiting patiently and explaining to his wife as to which type of dance the costumes were made for as she carefully looked over one marvelous outfit after another. The time passed on: one hour after another all while Gremlin and Crystal continued to explore the vast basement and its many racks, shelves and closets of exquisite clothing. Crystal remembered well some of the costumes she had seen, wanting to make sure she could give an accurate description to her sister for some perfect and properly-sized replicas.

"So, I see you've picked a few good designs for belly-dancing, hula and Tahitian dancing," remarked Gremlin.

"Yeah, but I still haven't seen any can-can outfits, yet," said Crystal, shrugging her shoulders.

"Well, there is one spot we haven't looked at yet. Follow me," said Gremlin with a smile. Crystal let her mate lead her onward towards the back, right corner of the sprawling basement. Strangely, this last closet was the only one in the entire basement that was not open.

"This is the one?" asked Crystal with excitement.

"Yep!" replied Gremlin with a cackle, "I'll let you open this one, if you wish." No sooner had Gremlin finished his sentence when Crystal stepped forward, grabbed onto the tarnished bronze doorknob and threw open the door without hesitation. Crystal's eyes lit up with delight when her eyes fell on the few dozen black dresses hanging in the closet. The sleeveless garments were quite modest in their appearance with a high neckline and floor-length skirts. The black satin shimmered in the light and Crystal could easily make out decorative patterns that had been embroidered with sparkling thread all over each of the dresses. The skirt of each dress was quite voluminous, comparable to the skirt of Crystal's wedding dress, with a large black bow on the back of the dresses, just above the waist. The enthralled Kirlia stepped forward and lifted up the front of the skirt of the nearest dress. The alternating layers of black and white petticoats were a dead giveaway: these dresses had definitely been worn by can-can dancers.

"Gremlin?" asked Crystal, her tone changing from delight to one of concern, "There wasn't anything… lewd going on here in the dance hall? Was there?"

"No," was Gremlin's calm reply, "The young ladies who performed the can-can in this building did so only as entertainment and with unmatchable professionalism. In fact, they wore black leggings under their dresses instead of extravagant underwear. Their outfits were completed with a pair of long black gloves, a silver necklace, silver bracelets, silver earrings and a bejeweled headdress, accented with a large black feather. Believe me; if there was anything bad going on here, I don't think there would have ever been can-can, belly-dancing or hula classes for young girls at this dance hall. This establishment was regarded with utmost respect and strictly on the up-and-up."

"So I see," said Crystal cheerfully, her fears put to rest as she looked over the lavish black dress.

"Like what you see?" asked a happy Gremlin, "I did want to save some of the best for last."

"I'm going to have to have an outfit just like this," said Crystal, looking over her left shoulder to smile at Gremlin. The Sableye smiled back as his wife as she released the dress from her hands. No sooner had she let go of the shimmering and sparkling garment when something on the back wall of the closet caught her eye. The curious Kirlia pushed aside a few dresses to her right side, the garments sliding sideways on their hangers, suspended from a metal pole above in the closet. Now Crystal could get a good look at the back wall. She was perplexed at all the bizarre symbols, which had been scratched into the wall.

"Dear?" asked Crystal with bewilderment, noticing how the marks were all over each of the closet's walls, "What do you make of these odd symbols? Are they Ghost Forme?" Gremlin walked to the confused Kirlia's right side and bent over to take a closer look at all the markings and symbols. The Sableye grinned.

"Well, I'll be dipped," said Gremlin with amazement, "This is where I used to practice using my talents, powers and also where I first really started to dabble into the art of Ghost Forme."

"Gremlin, my love, what exactly is Ghost Forme?" asked Crystal, now much more curious than before, "What is it used for?" The Sableye nodded his head and motioned with his hands for Crystal to sit down on the floor.

"Have a seat, my dear," requested Gremlin with a friendly tone of voice, "It could take me awhile to explain the purpose and workings of Ghost Forme." Being a gentleman, Gremlin tenderly helped Crystal sit down: the petticoats under the skirt of her wedding dress rustled softly as she took a seat on the carpeted floor. Gremlin sat in front of Crystal, facing her as he reached out with both hands and tenderly held onto his wife's hands. Crystal sighed blissfully, looking over the grinning Sableye sitting in front of her in traditional Gardevoir wedding attire.

"Where to begin…?" said Gremlin to himself, "Ah! Yes! I think I have it." Crystal smiled as she and her Sableye held hands.

"Ghost Forme is a combination of an ancient runic language and alchemy," explained Gremlin, "The purpose of this craft is to create artifacts with various properties. For example, our wedding rings are the result of Ghost Forme. The symbols, painstakingly carved into the alchemically-treated platinum, have permanently linked our life-forces together. So long as one of us lives, so will the other. The runes also dictate that the rings can never be removed once the wearers kiss. Because of this, we are able to live together until the end of time. The rings are also completely indestructible."

"My necklace!" said Crystal happily, looking down at the sparkling gold necklace with its lathe diamond pendant, resting on her shoulders and around her neck, "You created it with Ghost Forme as well, right?"

"Partially," replied Gremlin, "The small runes, etched onto every single link of the chain, dictate that the necklace is indestructible and it also is almost impossible to remove. As for its key feature, a piece of an Everstone lies at the core of the diamond pendant, situated behind the sparkling gemstone."

"Wow! How long did it take you to make these relics for me?" asked Crystal with amazement.

"It took several weeks to make the pendant and our wedding rings," said Gremlin tenderly, "But all the toil was well worth it. You mean so much to me, my lovely ballerina, and I want to spend all of my days with you." The two newlyweds leaned towards each other and enjoyed a long, passionate kiss. The minutes passed by unnoticeably as the Kirlia and Sableye kissed, not wanting the romantic moment to end. Crystal leaned away from Gremlin, breaking the kiss, but only because she still had more questions for her handsome mate.

"Tell me, my love," said Crystal sweetly, "Would you say you have mastered Ghost Forme by now?"

"Believe me, my pretty; I still have a lot to learn," replied Gremlin with a gentle voice, "If not for the Blight, my father would have taught me everything he knows about the subject. I certainly would be a master of Ghost Forme by now if I had been under his tutelage for the last several years, but…" Crystal gazed at Gremlin, somewhat surprised at his sudden pause.

"But what, dear?" asked a curious Crystal. Gremlin smiled, looking deep into his Kirlia's enchanting eyes.

"I may never have gotten to meet you," replied Gremlin. Crystal sighed blissfully, blushing slightly as she held onto her husband's hands ever tighter.

"I love you, Gremlin," said Crystal with a soft voice.

"I love you, too, Crystal," was Gremlin's heartfelt reply. The lovers paused for a moment, simply enjoying each other's company. The blue-haired Kirlia drew a deep breath.

"So…" said Crystal, smiling at her mate, "What else did you learn or practice down here besides Ghost Forme?" Gremlin cackled happily, releasing his gentle grasp on his wife's hands.

"Well, how about I give a little demonstration?" said Gremlin as he stood up, shook his skirt a few times to even out the petticoats and then took a few steps away from his mate. Crystal watched and waited, wondering what Gremlin would do next. She soon got her answer as the closet and the entire basement was suddenly plunged into an unnatural, deep darkness. Crystal was not afraid as she had complete trust in her mate, knowing he would never try to upset her.

"I can make almost any place dark in an instant," said Gremlin, his voice emanating somewhere behind Crystal, "As well as project my voice from almost anywhere I want." The deep black void vanished in an instant, revealing the well-lit closet and the vast basement of the dance hall. However, instead of seeing her mate standing before her, Crystal now saw what appeared to be a male Kirlia wearing Gremlin's wedding dress!

"Huh?" exclaimed a shocked Crystal.

"Relax, my love," said the male Kirlia with Gremlin's voice, "I can use my powers to create illusions, as well as to become invisible or incorporeal at will."

"You do make a cute Kirlia," giggled Crystal as her disguised mate slowly faded out of view, disappearing completely without a trace. Crystal looked down when she felt something tug gently at her red sash. An unseen force gently grabbed onto the ends the knot in the sash, tightening the knot with a few soft tugs.

"There. That looks better and it shouldn't fall off so easily now," said Gremlin's voice from somewhere underneath Crystal, "As you can see, I can affect objects at a distance as well, much like how your kind can when using telekinesis."

"Are you looking up my skirt, love?" asked Crystal, blushing deeply as she erupted into a giggling fit.

"Only if you want me to!" cackled Gremlin, this time his voice came from up above in the closet, "Besides, I think now is hardly the time to be playing lover's games, don't you?"

"I would say so," giggled Crystal as Gremlin faded back into view in front of the blushing Kirlia.

"I can also use any Ghost-Type attack," explained the grinning Sableye, "With devastating results." Crystal watched, astonished as Gremlin began to form a ball of energy between his two hands. The orb was colored black with many shades of dark gray and deep purples and Gremlin, focusing and concentrating, made the ball of malicious power get bigger and bigger. Within a matter of seconds, the once baseball-sized energy orb had grown to the size of a large beach ball.

"What's my personal favorite move? Well! That would be the ever-popular Shadow Ball!" cackled Gremlin, keeping complete control over the dangerous orb.

"Don't you think this is a bad idea, dear?" asked Crystal, now somewhat worried as she stood up and took several steps away from her mate, "What if you accidently drop that thing? How much damage could it cause?"

"You have nothing to fear, my love," said Gremlin with a smile and a reassuring tone of voice, "As long as I don't lose my concentration, everything will be fine." Crystal was not so sure and she had every right to be wary, for just moments after the Sableye finished his statement, to newlyweds were started when they heard someone yell out with horror, followed immediately by a thundering "Crash!" from just outside the storage room.

"What the?" exclaimed a surprised Gremlin, quickly turning his head to the right. Crystal reflexively ran out of the closet with great haste, too startled to be able to teleport as the glowing Shadow Ball suddenly detonated with a deafening "Boom!" while an immense cloud of dust overtook the entire basement. The force of the blast knocked Crystal to the floor and the scared Kirlia screamed as she covered her head with her hands. Just outside the basement's set of double doors, lay K-1. The robot was already irritated enough at somehow losing traction on the stairs, but now the worried machine was almost in a full-blown panic at the sudden explosion and cloud of dust. He could only wonder what had just transpired and he now feared for the safety of Gremlin and Crystal. The robot quickly got back on his feet and stepped into the large storage room. The shockwave from the blast had destroyed all the light bulbs in the room, plunging the area into complete darkness. Only the bluish light from K-1's eyes illuminated the black void of the room.

"Is everyone alright?" called K-1 as he opened his chest panel and extended one of his mechanical arms to pluck an old flashlight from the floor. Thankfully, the flashlight still worked and its bright beam of light pierced through the dark and dusty air. K-1 paused when he heard someone coughing.

"I'll be right there!" yelled K-1 as he went charging down an aisle between two tall shelves. He stopped the moment he found Crystal in the aisle. He pointed the flashlight's bright beam on the off-color Kirlia as she coughed and growled with indignation, all while shaking small clouds of dust off her skirt and out of her petticoats.

"Are you okay?" asked a worried K-1.

"I'm okay," said Crystal with concern and a heavy sigh. The Kirlia reached up and tried to brush more dust out of her hair with her hands, "But I'm not so sure about Gremlin…" No sooner had Crystal finished cleaning herself off when her mate's voice came forth from the dusty blackness of the basement.

"Nobody worry…" said Gremlin sheepishly while coughing loudly, "I'm okay… Is everyone else all right? Crystal? Are you there?"

"Gremlin!" said Crystal, now terrified as she ran down the aisle with K-1 following close behind. The closer the Kirlia and robot got to Gremlin's location, the bigger the mess they found. Dance costumes littered the floor as the considerable explosion had knocked the outfits off their shelves and hangers. Small shards of glass from shattered light bulbs were all over the floor as well and Crystal took great care to not step on the sharp fragments. Her slippers may have been made of Gardevoir satin, but she was certainly not in the mood to see just how hardy her footwear truly was. After a few moments of unbearable tension, Crystal soon laid eyes on her mate. The Sableye was standing tall. He appeared to be completely unharmed but there was still a pronounced frown on his face.

"Are you okay?" said Crystal, worried immensely as she ran up and embraced her mate, "Gremlin! You should have been more careful! What if you had hurt yourself or me or had caused the roof to collapse over us?"

"I'm very sorry, Crystal…" said Gremlin softly and with shame, wrapping his arms around his wife as she began to cry on his right shoulder, "I… I… got carried away…"

"Please don't ever do that again!" begged Crystal, "Next time you want to show off you powers, do it someplace that is safe… please, Gremlin? Please?" Gremlin held Crystal close and tightly against his body and gently stroked her back.

"You have my promise," said Gremlin with a sigh, "Never again."

"At least you are both okay," said a relieved K-1, "I was about to say that dinner was ready. I didn't mean to startle you Gremlin, but I must agree with Crystal. That was a most foolish choice on your part Gremlin, to demonstrate your abilities down here and especially in such an enclosed space."

"I know… I'm sorry…" said Gremlin. Crystal dried her eyes and kept tightly embracing her mate, thankful he was unhurt.

"Well, I can see you have learned from your error," said K-1, "Don't worry about the mess. I'll have the R-25s take care of it later. Now, how about we go upstairs to the dining room and enjoy a nice meal together? How does that sound?"

"Sounds good to me," said Crystal, no longer sobbing as she looked up and faced Gremlin. The Sableye was about to say something loving to his wife, but at that moment, Gremlin began to feel a little strange. The darkened storage room was completely silent as the Sableye turned his gaze into the ruined closet behind him. He could hear a low howl and dripping water coming from somewhere in the distance.

"Oh? What's this?" asked K-1 as he aimed his flashlight into the closet. The painted masonry back wall of the closet now had a 6-foot wide and tall hole in it, revealing what appeared to be some natural caverns. Gremlin gazed into the darkness of the cave. He was not sure why, but he felt like something was gently compelling him to enter the cavern: beckoning him to journey into the underground abyss.

"I wonder if the people who built this dance hall knew about these caves?" asked K-1, "I didn't know there were any underneath Alakaz." Gremlin took a deep breath, returning his gentle gaze upon Crystal.

"Do you… feel that?" asked Gremlin with hesitation. Crystal nodded her head in reply, holding her husband close.

"I sense it, too," answered Crystal with astonishment, "I feel like… something is calling out to me. Asking me to go into those caves and beyond…" K-1 shined the flashlight into the cavern: the stony and crystalloid stalagmites and stalactites cast eerie shadows about the walls of the rocky tunnel. K-1's keen eyes quickly analyzed the cavern.

"The immediate area appears to be structurally sound," reported K-1, deciding he should take another look with his x-ray scanners. The intricate machinery in K-1's eyes allowed him to map out the first few hundred feet of the tunnel. Gremlin and Crystal were speechless, moving not a muscle while continuing to hold each other and stare deep into the cave.

"We could explore this cavern together, but maybe we should have a good meal, first?" suggested K-1. Without warning, Gremlin swept Crystal off her feet and gently laid her over his left shoulder. The Kirlia giggled and laughed with glee.

"What are you doing now, my love?" asked Crystal with laughter.

"I think we should take K-1's advice and have dinner first. Whatever is back there can wait. I don't know about you, but I really don't feel like spelunking on an empty stomach. Wouldn't you agree, my lovely ballerina bride?" cackled Gremlin.

"I hope you don't mind exploring these caves in your wedding dress," giggled Crystal, "We have to abide by tradition."

"So we'll explore in style?" said a grinning Gremlin, shrugging his shoulders, "Besides, if there are any monsters in there, my appearance should be enough to scare most of them."

"What about the one's you don't scare?" asked Crystal with a smirk. Again, Gremlin laughed.

"Then we'll just to pummel and blast the heck out of them with K-1's help," replied the smirking Sableye.

"Personally, I would rather not have to engage any foes in those caverns," said K-1, "I just cleaned my cannons earlier today."

"Now that I think about it," said Crystal, "Where did you go this morning, K-1? You were gone almost all day."

"Like I said, I had some errands to run. They took up more time than expected, but everything I needed to do has been taken care of," said K-1 cheerfully, "Now, how about you two follow me upstairs and enjoy a romantic dinner before we go exploring?"

"Sounds like a plan to me," said Gremlin cheerfully, his left arm wrapped around Crystal to keep her snugly over his left shoulder, "Let's go, my love."

"Oh, no you don't! You're not taking me anywhere, you horrible little monster!" laughed Crystal, playfully kicking her feet while Gremlin carried her away.

"There is no escape, my pretty!" cackled Gremlin, "You're mine! MINE! And you will never be rid of me!" There were many occasions when K-1 wondered and worried about Gremlin and Crystal: this was definitely one of those moments.

"They sure have an interesting way of noting their love for each other. Oh, yeah. I also have a little surprise for Gremlin, but I think that will have to wait for a while," thought K-1, watching Gremlin carry his blushing wife out of the basement storage room and up the stairs back towards the ground floor of the dance hall, "I couldn't help but notice Gremlin and Crystal's reaction when they gazed into the cavern. They seemed to be drawn to it for some reason. I'd best be on my guard when we explore this place. No telling what we may find down there…"

**-141-**

It was late in the evening in the village of Gardev. The sun had set over an hour ago and Aura was standing in her and Mack's bathroom, admiring herself in the large mirror which hung over the sink. The young Guardian was still adorned in her beautiful ballet dress and slippers. She couldn't help but stare into the looking glass, imagining herself one day getting to wear an ornate silver and diamond tiara: the symbol of ballet mastery in the Gardevoir settlements. Then, there was the shimmering red sash: worn around the waist by all Kirlia, Gardevoir and even the occasional, yet quite rare, Gallade ballet teacher.

"I don't care how long it takes or how hard I will have to work," thought Aura, stepping up on her tip-toes to twirl a few times on the smooth bathroom floor, "One day; I will be master-level ballerina and a ballet teacher." Aura set her feet back on the floor when she heard a soft knock on the door to her right.

"Aura? Are you there?" asked Mack from the other side of the door. The winged female Gardevoir smiled.

"I never thought Mack would be so willing to learn ballet with me, let alone even wear the traditional clothing that goes with it!" thought Aura with glee, giggling quietly to herself while she walked up to the white-painted wooden door, "He really wants to help me become a ballet master and teacher, but he also wants to dance and teach with me." Aura held onto the brass doorknob with her right hand and paused for a moment.

"Mack has to wear his ballet attire for at least 13 more days in order for the Gardevoir satin to bond with him," thought Aura with growing excitement and anticipation, "Oh! Since he's already dressed for ballet, I Hope he'll be in the mood for dancing with me tonight." Aura opened the door and was greeted by her smiling mate.

"Good evening, my love," said Mack with a tender voice, slowly bowing towards his lovely ballerina, "Would you like to dance with me this evening?" The young female Guardian just stared at her mate for several moments, admiring her male Gardevoir in his beautiful, shimmering white ballet dress and slippers.

"I'll be happy to dance with you, my love," said Aura sweetly. Mack stood up, reached out with his left hand, gently holding onto his mate's right hand.

"Likewise, princess," said Mack softly. Aura was about to grab her wedding tiara off her vanity, but for some reason, Mack tenderly held her back.

"I don't think you're going to need that tonight," said Mack with a friendly smile on his face.

"Oh, really?" said Aura, smirking at her husband, "Do you have a good reason why I shouldn't wear this tiara tonight? You'd better tell me, my love. Is it because you don't want me to be prettier than you? Or do YOU want to wear my tiara instead?" Mack erupted with laugher and walked up to Aura, wrapping his arms around her in a gentle embrace.

"That's one thing I love about you, Aura," said Mack, chuckling warmly under his breath and looking his wife in her eyes, "You really know how to make me laugh." Aura gently ran her fingers along the soft, embroidered satin on her mate's back, just underneath his white feathery wings.

"Seriously, dear," said Aura with a smile, "Why don't you want me to wear my tiara tonight?" Mack held Aura close to his body and whispered into her left ear.

"Because I really want you to feel very special on the day you receive your ballet master's tiara," said Mack with a loving tone of voice, "And get to dance while wearing it for the first time while wearing your beautiful ballet attire." The Guardians kissed briefly, holding each other tightly. Aura broke the kiss and looked up at her mate's smiling face.

"I guess that's a good enough reason," said Aura sweetly, "Now, how about we go the ballroom now and start dancing together?"

"My thoughts exactly, my princess," said Mack, kissing Aura once again. Before long, the two winged Guardians were leisurely on their way to the mansion's lavish ballroom, hand-in-hand. As usual, the corridors of the large mansion were quiet and the lighting had been dimmed down somewhat to help the large home's inhabitants sleep well. Mack and Aura were now walking down the short hallway that led into the ballroom when Mack suddenly came to a stop. Aura followed suit and looked over at her mate, wondering if something had startled him.

"Is something wrong, Mack?" asked Aura with slight concern in her voice. The male Guardian merely glanced over at his mate with a bright smile on his face.

"I have a little surprise for you, my dear," said Mack sweetly. Aura's eyes opened wide: the young Gardevoir gasped, smiled and giggled with glee, all while holding her mate's hand tighter.

"Oh! I love surprises!" said Aura cheerfully.

"I know you're going to love this one," said Mack tenderly, stepping in front of his mate and reaching out to hold Aura's white hands in his own, "Please close you eyes, my love. Then, I shall lead you into the ballroom. After that, well… you'll soon see." Aura nodded her head in reply and closed her eyes. The female Gardevoir blushed slightly as Mack tenderly led her forward. Time seemed to pass slowly as Aura took one careful step forward after another, led onward with utmost care by her mate. Soon, Aura knew she was standing in the ballroom as the soft carpeted floor of the mansion's hallways was replaced with hard wood: her and Mack's footsteps echoed softly throughout the massive ballroom. Aura was fairly sure she was now standing in the exact center of the cavernous and heavily-decorated chamber when Mack told her to stop with a gentle voice.

"You can open your eyes now, my love," said Mack sweetly. Aura did as she was asked and to her astonishment, she saw all the members of the Olympus Ballet Board standing 10 yards away near one of the massive room's walls. The ten pairs of Gardevoirs and three pairs of Kirlias were all smiling, adorned in their traditional ballet attire, sparkling tiaras and shimmering red sashes. The males closed their eyes and bowed towards Aura respectfully while the ladies held onto their skirts, then spread them outward with a curtsey. Aura was astounded.

"Mack?" asked Aura, glancing over at her husband, completely shocked, "What's going on here?"

"No need to worry or be scared, Princess Aura," said Owen, the sage leader of the Olympus Ballet Board, "We are here at the request of Princess Angel and Prince Mack, Guardians of Gardev." Owen's wife, Evelyn took a few steps forward with her mate.

"We are all here to bear witness to you and Mack in your final exams," explained Evelyn, "After consulting with Angel concerning your and Mack's performances in this ballroom as well as Joyce and your other instructor, Hans, on your classes from several years ago, we decided to journey to Gardev in order to bear witness to your dancing. We all believe you are both worthy of earning your tiaras."

"We know you cannot visit Olympus often," said Owen, "So, we decided it would be best to administer your tests here in Gardev in the mansion ballroom." Aura looked over, laying eyes on her first ballet teacher: a male Gardevoir named Hans. He was standing with his wife, Marry, on his left side.

"I knew this day would be coming," said Hans proudly with a friendly smile on his face, "I'll never forget the day you came into my class as a six-year old Kirlia. You always were a natural at ballet and did nothing but excel in this sacred and beautiful art form." Aura already had been surprised before when she opened her eyes to see all the members of the Olympus Ballet Board standing before her, but now she was utterly aghast. While there were actually a few hundred ballet teachers in the great, hidden Gardevoir settlement, only 26 or so of the most distinguished ballet instructors in the city were ever members of the Ballet Board at any given time.

"Hans!" said Aura, overcome with joy, "I thought I would never see you again! When did you become a member of the Olympus Ballet Board?" Hans chuckled warmly and placed his left arm around his mate's lower torso.

"Why, at the same time as Marry, of course!" replied Hans with a grin, "That was 3 years ago."

"So, this is your star pupil," said Marry cheerfully, "It is an honor to finally meet you in person, Princess Aura."

"Nice to meet you as well, Marry," said Aura happily with a nod of her head. Owen cleared his throat, getting the undivided attention of everyone in the ballroom.

"I don't mean to interrupt, but it is getting late and these tests could easily take the next hour," said Owen with concern, "We had best begin shortly."

"I agree, Owen. Prince Mack, Princess Aura," said Evelyn cheerfully, yet firmly, "Your final exams require that each of you give a solo performance, giving us a thorough demonstration of your talent and the mastery of the many techniques of ballet. After your solo performances, you will be required to perform a highly difficult duet with your dancing partner. In this case, since you are mates and both highly-skilled, you shall be your dancing partners, Guardians Mack and Aura."

"Who wants to go first?" asked a smiling Owen. Mack glanced at Aura: the female Guardian giggled happily and nodded her head in reply to an unspoken question.

"I would like Mack to go first," answered Aura.

"Very well," said Evelyn, "Prince Mack: please take your position on the floor and you may begin when ready."

"This should be interesting," said Hans to his colleges, "A Gardevoir with no ballet training whatsoever is about to take the final tests for his tiara. I wonder how this will turn out."

"You have your doubts, Hans?" asked Marry.

"A few," replied Hans honestly to his wife, "But I'm really hoping we get a marvelous performance. I would much rather see him succeed than fail." Mack walked five more yards away from the Ballet Board members while Aura stood next to Marry on her left side. The winged male Guardian stepped up onto his tip-toes, holding his arms out from his sides. Mack spread his mighty wings open once, flapped them a few times vigorously and then folded them up behind his back. Mack took a deep breath, gathering his composure as he took his first graceful step forward with his right foot. The dozens of ballet teachers looked on with amazement and with their keen eyes, watching closely as one perfect step soon led to another. The minutes passed by unnoticed as Mack demonstrated technique after technique with great precision and fluid motion. If any of the Ballet Board members had any doubts before, they were now altogether dashed. Aura smiled, watching her mate dance with the skill and grace of a true professional. For Mack, each movement and step came instinctively.

"Where on earth did he learn this…?" asked a flabbergasted Hans.

"I haven't the slightest idea," remarked Owen with amazement. While Mack continued to dance under the watchful eyes of Owen, Evelyn and their colleagues, a lone figure, obscured by the shadows in a nearby hallway, was observing the group of Gardevoirs and Kirlias. The hidden creature turned his wary eyes upon Mack and Aura: surely his biggest threats at the moment. The Pikachu grinned and laughed quietly to himself.

"This is even better than I had hoped!" thought William with glee, watching Mack dance in his shimmering white ballet dress before taking a quick glance at Aura, "With those two 'Swans' busy, getting an evening snack will be a breeze!" William quietly scurried down the hallway, looking over his left shoulder only once for one last glance at Mack and the other psychic Pokémon dancers.

"Mack sure looks funny, dancing like that, while wearing a dress with a very fluffy skirt, ballet slippers and white bloomers," thought William, "Then again, I better not say anything or he and Aura will probably force ME into a tutu next!" William was soon nearing the mansion's main kitchen while moving through the large dining room as quietly as possible. A pleasant smell was coming from the kitchen and whatever was cooking in there made the Pikachu's mouth water with growing anticipation. William stood up against the wall on the right side of the open doorway between the dining room and the kitchen. He then peered around the corner, taking a cautious glance into the kitchen. A grin spread across the rogue Pikachu's face: Agatha was nowhere to be found. The kitchen was brightly-lit, but the entire area was also eerily quiet. William stepped around the corner and onto the polished tile floor of the kitchen. He looked left and right: something didn't seem right. There were no pots or pans in any of the sinks, no ingredients of any kind had been left out, nor did there seem to be any silverware or flatware sitting on any of the counters. William stepped forward cautiously, sniffing the air. The delightful smell was definitely coming from somewhere in the kitchen, but there was no evidence anything had actually been cooked. Was William walking into yet another obvious trap?

"What's going on here?" thought William as he approached a long set of several cupboards, topped with a polished, dark granite counter which were standing in the middle of the kitchen. The mouthwatering smell got stronger as the rodent came closer to the counters and cupboards.

"I wish I could fly up there and see what's on the counter, it smells great!" thought an annoyed William, "Man, do I wish Gremlin was here right now to help me…" Undaunted, William walked up to a set of drawers on the nearest end of the kitchen island. If Gremlin had been around, the Sableye would have been able to either scale the cupboards or even float up to the counter above while invisible and incorporeal. William knew that making a makeshift set of stairs from the drawers in front of him was going to take time and could also be very noisy if he lost his footing. There was no telling when Agatha or someone else in the mansion would set foot into the kitchen and discover William. The Pikachu remembered all too well what happened the last time he had tried to steal food from this room.

"Well, I shouldn't have to worry about blowing this place up again," thought William, grabbing onto the first drawer and pulling it out as far as it would go without falling out, "But I'd rather not get sealed up inside a soup vat or pressure-cooker again and then get kicked down a few flights of stairs as punishment." The thieving rodent shuddered at the idea, but he continued with his plot and was soon standing tall and proud on the shining black granite counters.

"That wasn't so bad," thought William with triumph, "Now, what do we have here?" The Pikachu quickly turned his attention to a single white plate, resting in the middle of the long counter. William quickly closed the distance between himself and his quarry. As first, the Pikachu was slightly disappointed at what lay before him, but that certainly did no last long. Right in front of William was a plate of nachos. The fresh, yellow corn tortilla chips were still steaming and upon them was seasoned ground beef, refried beans, melted sharp cheddar cheese, sliced black olives and an odd red sauce, which William had never seen before. Sour cream crowned the plate of Mexican/American fare. William sniffed the nachos: they didn't smell like they would be too spicy. In fact, they smelled absolutely delicious!

"Well, I may not have found a fresh pie, cookies or pastries, but I think I still hit the jackpot!" thought William happily. Now the most dangerous part of his plan had to be put in motion. William grabbed the fairly-heavy plate in his mouth and moved carefully back towards his set of impromptu stairs. The Pikachu figured if he managed to get passed this challenge, he was home free. William, with surprising balance and grace, climbed down one of the drawer "Stairs" after another. Several very tense moments passed, for if the rodent burglar made one false move, the metal utensils in each drawer surely would rattle and make a lot of noise. Then, there was always the chance that Agatha would suddenly return to the kitchen. Nonetheless, William managed to get down from the unstable stairway of drawers. He carefully set the plate of nachos back on the ground and then quietly closed each drawer, hoping this would be enough to cover his tracks. With a gentle sigh, William again grabbed the plate with his teeth and proceeded to parade, completely unnoticed, through the dining room and down the mansion's corridors. He only paused when he had to pass by a short hallway which connected to the ballroom. William quickly scurried across the hallway, stopping for only a moment to set the nachos down on the floor to take a look into the ballroom. He was rather curious at what was transpiring now and quickly got an answer. Now, Aura was performing on her own before the members of the Olympus Ballet Board. The Pikachu admired the young ballerina: not only was she beautiful, for a Gardevoir in her ballet attire, but she danced with immense grace. Aura was smiling and her eyes were closed while she was dancing. Her dress was shimmering brightly in the well-illuminated ballroom.

"Mack is one lucky guy," thought William with a shrug of his shoulders. He quickly disappeared around the corner and again grabbed the plate of nachos in his mouth and continued on his way down the corridor. Despite the mansion being so quiet, William was still on high alert. At least ten minutes passed before William was comfortably near his hiding place: an empty closet at the far end of the mansion's east wing. William set down the plate of nachos, opened the door, and slid the delightful dish over the carpet and into the closet. William stepped into the dark closet and closed the door in his wake. He could still see well in the small room with his keen eyes, especially since light was coming in under the door from the hallway. At last, William was ready to enjoy his plunder in secret and, hopefully, in safety.

"This will be a night to remember!" thought William with glee, stepping up the white plate, ready to dig into the wonderful-smelling nachos face first. Meanwhile, Warren, the sage mayor of Gardev, was walking into his mansion's main kitchen. For Warren, the day had been a long one. He ended up spending much of his time on a long helicopter ride to and from Alakaz to see an optometrist. Nonetheless, Warren was grateful for his younger brother's generosity in having his pilot fly him between the two settlements. It was no surprise to Warren when the eye doctor said he needed new lenses for his glasses, especially when he had mistakenly identified Mack as a female Gardevoir yesterday.

"Sometimes, it's just too darn hard to tell the difference between male and female Gardevoirs, especially with Mack being dressed up as a ballerina!" though an irritated Warren, "No wonder so many humans think Gardevoirs are strange because of the way they dress." It would be at least a week before the Gardev mayor's new glasses would be ready, though Warren could easily navigate the mansion by memory. The dark blur of the black granite counter quickly got his attention, but to his surprise, he didn't see a small, circular white blur at the very middle of the counter's surface.

"Agatha?" called Warren with bewilderment, "Are you nearby?"

"Be right there, sir," said Agatha from somewhere not far from the kitchen. The talented chef stepped into the kitchen with a smile on her face.

"I was just about to go to bed for the night, Warren," said Agatha with a yawn, "Is something wrong?"

"I'm afraid so," said Warren with a sigh of disappointment, "I thought you said my nachos were ready for me right on this counter, but even I, though almost as blind as a Zubat, should have still been able to see them." Agatha was rather perplexed at her boss's statements.

"Are you sure you didn't eat them and forget about it?" suggested Agatha. Warren was not amused.

"Confound it all… I might not be able to see clearly right now, but my mind is sharp as ever," said Warren with indignation and a heavy sigh, "Besides, no one would ever forget eating a plate of my favorite snack: Habanero Surprise Nachos."

"I guess you're right," said Agatha, "My apologies, Warren."

"It's not a problem," said Warren, "We all make mistakes. I'll never forget the time when the Guardians were molting a few years ago and one of their wayward feathers found its way into my tuna sandwich."

"Now that I think about it…" said Agatha, a thoughtful and now rather concerned look on her face, "Where could those nuclear nachos of yours have gone?"

"They certainly didn't grow legs, get up and walk away," said a rather confused Warren. Just then, Agatha's eyes opened wide as an epiphany resounded clearly in her mind.

"You don't think even William would be stupid enough to steal those things, do you?" asked Agatha. Warren's vision may have been very blurry, but he could still make out the worried expression on the master chef's face.

"I have a feeling we are about to find out…" quipped Warren. Back in the closet, far from the kitchen, William had paused. He sniffed the plate of steaming nachos, admiring the smell of the properly cooked and expertly-prepared ingredients.

"It's almost a crime to eat these things…" thought William with a blissful sigh, "They are just so… perfect…" The Pikachu just sat there in the darkened closet, admiring Agatha's handiwork as the minutes ticked by. Meanwhile, in the ballroom, Mack and Aura had just finished their amazing duet. They ended their performance with their wings unfurled and fully spread out. They knelt on one knee, Mack holding Aura's left hand in his right and as they bowed towards the astonished members of the Olympus Ballet Board. After over half an hour of dancing, the dance instructors, young and old, had never seen such a wonderful and graceful performance in quite some time. They applauded the Guardians as the two winged Gardevoirs stood up straight, finally setting their feet down flat on the shiny wooden floor.

"That was absolutely spectacular!" exclaimed Owen.

"Especially for a dancer with no training!" remarked Evelyn with amazement, "I almost can't believe what my eyes just beheld."

"Aura, without a doubt, you have made me proud to be have been your teacher!" said Hans with joy.

"That was a stirring performance, to say the least!" said Marry happily. Owen nodded appreciatively before he spoke again.

"Prince Mack and Princess Aura," said Owen with a smile, "Would you please give us a few minutes to discuss your performances and come to a decision?"

"Not a problem," said Mack with a nod, taking a deep breath.

"We can wait!" said Aura gleefully, breathing heavily and trying to catch her breath after enduring her solo performance and then dancing with Mack in a dazzling duet. The 26 Gardevoirs and Kirlias gathered into a huddle where they spoke quietly amongst themselves. From time to time, one of the teachers would look up at Mack and Aura briefly, but would then quickly return their attention to the group meeting. Mack put his left arm around Aura's lower torso while Aura put her right arm around her mate's shoulders. They held each other close, waiting patiently for the Ballet Board to announce their judgment. The dance instructors all had smiles on their faces when hey lined up against the wall in front of the Guardians.

"If you will please excuse us, Guardians of Gardev, Evelyn and I shall return shortly," said Owen.

"Please wait right here," said Evelyn. In an instant, the two sage ballet teachers vanished in a flash of intense white light. Little more than a minute passed when the teaching couple reappeared in the ballroom with another blinding flash of light. Mack and Aura had to close their eyes as well as shield them with their hands from the intense illumination. Almost as if on cue, the Guardians opened their eyes, gazing upon the two elderly Gardevoirs in ballet attire. Aura was shocked and Mack equally so when they saw Owen and Evelyn. The two Gardevoirs were each cradling a red pillow in their arms and resting on the brightly-colored cushions was an ornate, sparkling tiara made of silver and accented with several dozen small diamonds.

"The decision was unanimous," reported a cheerful Owen.

"Indeed, my dear," said Evelyn with a bright smile, "Prince Mack and Princess Aura: it is with great delight that we, the Ballet Board of Olympus, present each of you with these jeweled tiaras, signifying that you, henceforth, are both ballet masters. Should the time come when you no longer must protect Gardev, we would be honored to have you perform with other master-level dancers on stage in Olympus." Hans and Joyce smiled at Aura.

"I would have expected nothing less from the Guardians of Gardev! Bravo!" remarked Hans with a nod of appreciation. Joyce giggled with sheer delight

"I knew you could do it! Even after all these years, you haven't lost your touch! Well done, Aura! Congratulations to you and Mack!" said Joyce excitedly. Aura bowed her head and began to cry. In an instant, smiles were replaced with frowns in the ballroom. Mack walked in front of Aura and embraced his mate, gently rubbing her back affectionately.

"Is something wrong, my love? You can tell me…" asked Mack tenderly. Aura looked up as tears streamed down her face: the beautiful Gardevoir ballerina was smiling.

"I'm… I'm so happy…" said Aura, absolutely overjoyed that her dreams of being a dancer were finally being fulfilled, "Thank you so much, Mack…"

"What for, princess?" asked Mack with a smile.

"For doing this for me…" said Aura, drying her eyes with her left hand before leaning her head against Mack's right shoulder, "…and for dancing with me…"

"This is only the first step, my love," whispered Mack with a loving tone of voice, "I'm going to be at your side and help you go all the way." The ballet teachers were all relieved and quite happy that all was well.

"That's right!" said Joyce excitedly, "Now that you have your tiaras, you are both well on your way to earning your sashes!" Owen and Evelyn stepped towards Mack and Aura, holding out the pillows with their accompanying tiaras.

"Would you like to do the honors?" asked Owen happily. Mack and Aura faced each other and nodded their heads in reply. Aura watched as her mate released her from his embrace and ever so gently grasped onto one of the tiaras. He slowly lifted it off the pillow and moved the fine piece of jewelry towards Aura's head. The female Guardian closed her eyes, blushing and giggling with joy as Mack tenderly slid the sparkling tiara into his wife's soft, green hair. Aura opened her eyes, staring at her mate, elated as she then reached out with her left hand and picked up the other tiara from its red pillow. Aura grasped the glimmering piece of fine silver and diamonds with both hands.

"Are you sure you're okay with this, Mack?" asked Aura sweetly, "You really want to be a master ballet dancer and eventually teach ballet with me?" Mack nodded his head.

"Only for you, my love," said Mack, blushing slightly with embarrassment. As far as the male Gardevoir was concerned, wearing a tiara went against everything he had been taught growing up. Mack let out a light sigh and smiled: he knew very well the Gardevoir tradition of how both genders of master ballet dancers wore tiaras. This was considered the norm and was also deemed to be a great honor. Though quite nervous, this fact was still very comforting to Mack. Without hesitation, Aura slid the tiara gently into her mate's hair.

"It looks very nice on you," remarked Mack with a smile, once again wrapping his arms around Aura in a loving embrace. Aura embraced her mate, looking him in his eyes.

"Likewise," said Aura as her smile quickly turned into a big grin, "My pretty prince!" Mack burst out with laughter, as did all the ballet instructors. While the Guardians celebrated their accomplishment with the company of all the members of the Olympus Ballet Board, William was about to begin a celebration of sorts as well.

"Well, I think I've admired the workmanship of these nachos long enough," thought William, "Time to pig out!" While William was preparing to dive face first into nacho heaven, Ramirez and his lovely wife, Angel, were enjoying spending some time alone. The two winged Gardevoirs, adorned in their glamorous wedding attire, were sitting on the edge of their bed, holding hands and admiring each other in their dimly-lit room. Ramirez was about to lean over and kiss his beautiful princess on her lips when Angel's blissful smile was suddenly replaced with a scowl. Shocked, Ramirez backed away, wondering if something was wrong.

"What's going on, my love?" asked a confused and concerned Ramirez, "Are you okay?"

"I think so," said Angel with concern in her voice, closing her eyes and frowning, "I don't know what it is, but I have this funny feeling that something horrible is about to happen." William took a deep breath as he hovered over the still-hot nachos, licking his lips with glee. Like a moth to a flame, the Pikachu, despite any danger, was absolutely enthralled with the prospect of getting to enjoy his late-night snack.

"Ooh! They're still nice and hot!" thought William, now ready to savor his prize, "Surely, I will remember this night for the rest of my life!" William plopped his face into the pile of tortilla chips, ground beef, refried beans, sliced black olives, sour cream, melted cheese and special sauce. The Pikachu took a monstrous bite from the mound of food, but before he could begin to chew, the rodent quickly realized, all too late, that he had just made a terrible mistake. William didn't swallow any of the nachos, but he felt like someone had just set a bonfire ablaze in his mouth! William took a deep breath, wondering if he was just dreaming, but now it was as if someone had stuck a funnel into his mouth and was now pouring hot lava down his throat. William stood up, bits of meat, beans and chips slipping out of his wide-open mouth as his eyes opened wide from shock.

"What do you think is about to happen?" asked Ramirez to Angel, becoming more concerned by the minute.

"Someone…" said Angel, her eyes closed as she concentrated her powers of foresight, "Someone is about to suffer greatly…" Ramirez leaned away from Angel, shocked at her statement.

"Who?" asked Ramirez, now more worried than ever. An ear-splitting, high-pitched and bloodcurdling scream from down the hallway made Angel and her mate jump to their feet.

"Was that William?" yelled a shocked Angel and Ramirez in unison. They both ran out of their bedroom and threw open the door to their bedroom suite just in time to see William come running down the hallway, howling with pain. The rodent's mouth was open and his eyes were watering profusely as he screamed by the newlywed's doorway at top speed. Ramirez and Angel glanced at each other and then took off down the corridor after William. Needless to say, William's initial yelling was heard throughout the entire mansion and everyone had heard him.

"What has that rat gone and done this time?" grumbled Simon angrily as he sat up in bed in the darkened guest room, "It's probably nothing I want to get involved in…" The groggy Kabutops lay back down in bed, hoping he could somehow sleep through the Pikachu's rather annoying howling. After a few minutes of trying to ignore the cries of shear terror from William, Simon sat back up in bed, able to endure the horrid sound no more.

"That rodent had better actually be in some sort of danger," thought a greatly-annoyed Simon, "For his sake…" Meanwhile, without hesitation, both Warren and Agatha dashed out of the kitchen and through the dining room, zeroing in on the Pikachu's screams. Despite being almost blind, Warren was still quite nimble and managed to navigate the mansion's hallways with ease.

"Good thing I haven't rearranged the furniture in decades!" thought Warren. As for Mack, Aura and the Ballet Board members, their celebration had most definitely been cut short.

"Did you hear that?" asked a worried Aura.

"What on earth did William do this time?" muttered Mack. Just then, William came running into the ballroom. The horrified Pikachu leapt into Mack's arms.

"Make it stop! Make it stop!" yelled William with desperation, writhing with agony, "Please! MAKE IT STOP!"

"Make what stop?" demanded Mack both with concern and no lack of annoyance as Warren, Agatha, Ramirez and Angel dashed into the ballroom all at once.

"Alright!" shouted Simon with hot anger, annoyed beyond endurance, "Where's the fire, William?"

"In my mouth!" screamed a woeful William.

"What's going on here?" asked a bewildered Ramirez.

"If I didn't know any better…" said Warren with a scowl, "I would say that William decided to help himself to my Habanero Surprise Nachos!" William looked over at Warren with a look of utter disbelief on his face.

"Are you kidding me?" thundered William, "You actually ENJOY those things? My mouth feels like its melting in a nuclear furnace!" For once, Agatha was not very angry about William once again stealing food from her kitchen. The Pikachu stared at Agatha; his eyes were still watering as he took deep breaths, unable to tolerate the hot pepper-induced inferno in his mouth.

"Please! Don't seal me in the pressure-cooker again and kick me around! Please don't do it! Don't let her, Mack!" screamed William at the top of his lungs.

"Oh, believe me, I would…" said Agatha with a surprisingly calm tone of voice, "But I think you've punished yourself enough with your little escapade this evening. You better have learned your lesson this time, for your sake, William." The Pikachu nodded his head as a reply, unable to speak anymore because of the intense burning in his throat.

"Here Agatha," said Mack with a gentle tone of voice, "Please take William to the kitchen and get him a big bowl of ice cold milk. That should help deal with the spice."

"Very well," said Agatha, carefully cradling the crying Pikachu in her arms, "Let's go get you something to drink." Once William was carried out of the ballroom, the group of Pokémon and one human turned their attention to each other.

"Can someone please tell me what's going on?" asked a confused Warren, "When did all these brides get here?"

"Um… Warren?" asked Aura with a nervous smile, "You're looking at a bunch of Gardevoir ballerinas."

"Yeah… do I really look like a bride to you?" demanded Mack.

"Yes!" was Warren's blunt answer, "I can't see a blasted thing without my glasses and I've had enough of this madness for one day. I'm off to bed. I wish all of you a good night. See you tomorrow, Mack and Aura."

"I shall depart as well," said Simon with a loud yawn, "I wish you all a pleasant evening.

"Goodnight Warren and Simon," said Ramirez, Angel, Mack and Aura in unison. As soon as the old mayor and ancient Kabutops were walking down the nearest hallway out of the ballroom, Ramirez and Angel couldn't help but notice Mack and Aura in ballet attire, but also wearing sparkling tiaras.

"Well! What do you know?" exclaimed Ramirez joyfully, "Aura! I knew you would earn your tiara someday! I just knew it!"

"Congratulations to you, Aura!" said Angel happily, "I just knew you would succeed!"

"As you can see," said Mack somewhat nervously, "I have a tiara now as well."

"Ah, ha!" said Ramirez with a friendly smile, "Angel did mention that you had something special planned for Aura this evening."

"What do you think?" asked a cheerful Angel, "How does it feel to be a ballet master, Mack?"

"Somewhat pleasant but still a little awkward," admitted Mack. Ramirez, Angel and Aura laughed quietly to themselves.

"Really? Is it because of the tiara?" asked Ramirez, "That's nothing to be ashamed of. Heck, I have one, too. I earned it a few weeks after Aura became the next Guardian of Gardev."

"That's right! I remember you mentioning that before," said Aura happily, "But I don't remember if you ever got to perform on stage." Ramirez swiveled his head back and forth in reply.

"After what happened to our parents, I gave up ballet," admitted Ramirez, "I haven't danced in years…"

"Is there anything holding you back now, dear?" asked a smiling Angel, "I would love to learn ballet with you, if it will make you happy." Ramirez glanced over at his mate.

"I have to wear this wedding dress and cape for two more weeks," said Ramirez, "After that, I wouldn't mind donning my ballet attire again." For another hour, Mack, Aura, Ramirez and Angel conversed with the group of ballet teachers. Needless to say, the group of Gardevoirs and Kirlias were very happy about Mack and Aura having earned their silver and diamond tiaras. Before the members of the Olympus Ballet Board bid farewell, Ramirez managed to secure some times for when a few teachers would visit Gardev to give him and Angel lessons. After the dance instructors had left, teleporting back to the hidden metropolis, Ramirez and Angel returned to their bedroom for the night. As for Mack and Aura, they lingered in the ballroom for a while still, embracing and admiring each other in their shimmering ballet attire and new sparkling tiaras.

"What do you think, my princess?" asked Mack sweetly, "Now you're a full-fledged ballerina."

"I'm very happy, my prince," said Aura tenderly, "Especially because you want to dance with me…" Mack released Aura from his embrace, smiling at his lovely mate while reaching behind his back. Aura giggled when Mack produced a belt, made of shimmering red fabric. The male Guardian gently tied the satin belt around Aura's waist, tying the ends off in a nice red bow. Finally, Mack placed his hands on Aura's waist and leaned over to whisper into her left ear.

"Mark my words," said Mack with a loving tone of voice, "Soon; you will have a real sash. I promise." The Guardians held each other close and kissed with great passion with their pendants again glowing with intense red and blue light. The two winged Gardevoirs eventually broke their kiss, blushing deeply at one another. After looking each other deep into their eyes for another few minutes, Mack swept Aura off her feet and proceeded to carry her out of the ballroom. The blushing ballerina closed her eyes, leaning against her mate's chest with a blissful smile on her face. She couldn't help but wonder what other wonderful things would await her in the future. Meanwhile, back in the mansion's main kitchen, William was gulping down milk from a large mixing bowl, hoping to soon be rid of the intense burning of habanero pepper sauce. Needless to say, the sullen rodent would think twice before ever trying to steal food again.


	9. Section 9

**-142-**

Though it was now 9:00 at night, Gremlin and Crystal were still dead-set on exploring the caverns which the Sableye had accidentally discovered earlier that day. As expected, the newlyweds were still wearing their ornate wedding attire and shimmering red ballet instructor sashes, although Crystal wisely had traded out her tiara for a hardhat with a forward-facing headlamp. Gremlin was wearing the same kind of headgear, except he had a large blue flame atop his head instead of a lamp. They had a long chat about not making mythology jokes before they ventured forth and all three agreed that they watched far too many movies. As they forged through the clothing racks, Gremlin took hold of Crystal's right hand; the R-25's had done a thorough job straightening up the basement storage. The Kirlia and Sableye paused as they stared past the huge hole in the closet's back wall into the black abyss. In the distance, they could hear water dripping down from the cavern's ceiling. Other than listening to the relatively quiet underground ambiance, the area was completely silent. K-1 turned up the intensity of his blue eye lights, the bright illumination pierced into the deep darkness of the cavern.

"Let's make sure we stay together," cautioned K-1, "And I recommend you let me take the lead. My electronic eyes and sensors can detect far more than you both can relying on your own senses, Gremlin and Crystal."

"I would agree," said Gremlin, nodding head with affirmation. Crystal held her Sableye's hand tighter, gathering her courage.

"Let's be on our way," said Crystal with determination. K-1 nodded his head once and stepped in front on the newlywed Pokémon. With that, the Kirlia, Sableye and bipedal robot began a slow and cautious walk into the cavern. The relative silence in the cave was quite eerie and Crystal stayed close to Gremlin, afraid of the deep darkness. The Sableye tenderly put his left arm around Crystal's lower torso, hoping to comfort her. The beautiful Kirlia's smile was all Gremlin needed to know his mate was now more relaxed and confident. From what K-1 could gather, the caverns had been carved into the solid bedrock millennia ago. What was more surprising was how damp the cavern was, despite being under a vast desert. For what seemed like hours, Gremlin Crystal and K-1 continued their careful march through the many tunnels and chambers. K-1 was careful to map out as much of the immense caverns as he could. Since his X-ray scanners could see through several hundred feet of solid rock, this certainly helped the small group of explorers avoid any unwanted surprises in the rocky tunnels.

"I'm surprised we haven't seen any crystals down here. All I've seen so far are limestone stalagmites and stalactites," remarked Crystal, taking a good look around the immediate area.

"You may recall a failed mining venture that took place in this region several years ago," said K-1, pausing only for a moment to update his digital maps, "Despite years of searching for oil, coal, mineral ores, precious metals and gems, nothing was ever found here. In fact, the only reason the city of Alakaz survives to this day is because it is a major trading, entertainment and business hub. Many notable companies have their main offices located here, such as the Allens Corporation, a major producer of advanced machinery and electronics. Not to mention how Alakaz is the single largest city in the entire Gardev Region."

"Allens Corporation?" asked a very curious Crystal, "Does the mayor of Gardev have something to do with that company?"

"Negative," replied K-1, "For some reason, there is a huge rift in the Allens family. Warren has not given any specifics as to why this is, but from what I can gather, the good mayor is wary of anyone in his family who works for the Allens Corporation. I imagine he has considerable reason for this."

"Like a dark family secret or something?" asked Crystal.

"Could be," suggested K-1, "The Allens family does have a checkered past from what I can surmise. Still, it would be best not to assume anything. John, Warren and his grandson Jake and his family are all very good people. Alfred may have a few screws loose, if you get my drift, but he still means well." The group of three explorers continued on their way ever deeper into the caverns. Time seemed to pass unnoticeably for Gremlin, Crystal and K-1 even though the hours ticked by one after another. Despite how late it was in the night, the two Pokémon were still eager as ever to proceed. Being a machine, K-1 could practically continue on indefinitely without rest. The time was soon 4:35 in the morning when K-1 began to notice an odd feature on his map of the caverns: there seemed to be a huge chasm less than 175 feet from his and his companions' current position. In fact, the huge expanse was so wide; K-1 was unable to tell what could be on the other side. He kept this information to himself until he, Gremlin, and Crystal were near the edge of the chasm.

"What have we here?" asked Gremlin with amazement.

"I suspect we have discovered an underground canyon," replied K-1. Despite the bright light from K-1's eyes as well as the illumination provided by Gremlin and Crystal's hardhat-mounted lights, none of them could see to the other side of the rocky expanse. K-1 opened his chest plate and extended a robotic arm to pluck a small rock from the floor. He then tossed the rock into the subterranean canyon and listened carefully; waiting for the moment when he would hear the rock hit the chasm's floor. After a few minutes of silence, K-1's sensitive ears heard a distant and very faint splash from deep in the dark canyon.

"Is that canyon bottomless?" asked a slightly worried Crystal.

"No," answered K-1, "It appears to be at least over 3,000 feet deep. Quite impressive to find a river this deep underground: not to mention such a large canyon." Gremlin cautiously approached the edge of the chasm and peered down into its dark expanse. Despite the bright light coming from his headlamp, he could not see the bottom of the expanse. The Sableye could only imagine how deep the chasm truly was.

"My night-vision and infrared sensors are encountering some sort of interference," reported K-1, "I can't get a clear look at what lies on the other side of this chasm." Gremlin and Crystal stood still and silent for several minutes.

"Do you sense that?" asked Gremlin to his mate. The blue-haired Kirlia nodded her head.

"I feel like I'm being called onward. There has to be something on the other side of this canyon," replied Crystal.

"I doubt we're walking into a trap," said K-1 matter-of-factly, "It seems most illogical that you would both be unexplainably drawn down here to these ancient caves only to be led to your doom. Though such a thing is still quite possible…" Crystal held Gremlin tightly, shivering with fear.

"K-1, you're not helping my wife or me feel any better about this," said Gremlin with a scowl on his face.

"Well, I'll tell you what I'll do," said K-1, hoping he could reassure his friends, "I have ion engines built into the sides of my legs. I'll just fly across the canyon, take a look around and then I'll come back here and tell you what I saw. Does that sound agreeable to both of you?"

"I don't see why not," said Gremlin, shrugging his shoulders, "We're going to have to figure out what's over there sooner or later." Crystal nodded her head.

"Okay, but please be careful," said a worried Crystal.

"Just stay together and I'll return shortly," said K-1 as some slender panels on the sides of his legs opened up. There was a low, mechanical "Whrrr!" echoing in the cavern as a shiny and long cylindrical object slid out from each of the four panels. A soft "Click!" from the two engines and readouts from his internal systems confirmed that his ion thrusters were locked in place and ready for activation.

"Back in a few," said K-1 confidently as the bottom of each engine began to glow with a bright bluish light. Gremlin and Crystal watched, somewhat impressed as the bipedal robot slowly and quietly lifted off the ground. K-1 tilted his legs back about 20 degrees and began to fly across the huge, stony expanse and into the darkness, picking up speed as he went onward. Despite the bright light coming from the robot's ion engines, Gremlin and Crystal still managed to loose sight of K-1 as he flew deeper and deeper into the black void beyond.

"I hope he's going to be okay," said a scared Crystal.

"He knows what he's doing," said Gremlin, though he was also unsure of what would happen, "Probably…" Gremlin and Crystal sat down on the smooth, stone floor. They held each other close, making the most of being on their own in the vast and quiet cavern. The anxious Sableye and Kirlia didn't have to wait very long before K-1 emerged from the deep darkness in the distance, with his brightly-glowing ion engines lighting up the immediate area. K-1 landed gently back on his feet a few yards away from Gremlin and Crystal as the engines powered down and then folded back up inside his legs.

"I have some good news," said K-1 as the small panels on his metallic legs were closing, "There is a ledge on the other side about 1,000 feet away with a tunnel not more than 50 yards from the opposite edge of the canyon."

"Could you please fly both of us across?" asked Crystal politely, "I can't teleport that far on my own, especially since I can't see the other side of this chasm."

"I certainly have never been down here before," said Gremlin, "So using my ghost teleportation will be of no use."

"I planned on carrying you both," said K-1 with a friendly smile as his chest compartment opened once again. A dozen long robotic arms move out of K-1's body and gently wrapped around Gremlin and Crystal. The robot drew the two Pokémon towards him, holding the Kirlia snuggly against his left side and Gremlin on his right. Again, K-1's ion engines slid out from their compartments on his legs and flared to life.

"No need to be afraid, Crystal," said K-1 reassuringly, "I won't let you or Gremlin fall and the flight will be very gentle." Crystal nodded her head in reply with a smile. Nonetheless, she still closed her eyes, not wanting to watch as K-1 began to lift off the ground with her and Gremlin in tow.

"This should be fun!" said Gremlin excitedly as K-1 began to fly forward, picking up speed as he went. Though Crystal was confident in K-1's abilities to keep her and Gremlin from falling, she couldn't help but still be fearful during the three minute long flight across the canyon. The scared Kirlia only opened her eyes when she felt K-1 touch back down on the ground as his ion thrusters began to power down.

"We're here," said K-1 cheerfully, gently setting his friends back on his feet before retracting the engines back into his legs and his arms back into his chest. The metal plate on K-1's torso closed as Crystal took a deep breath, letting out a sigh of relief. Gremlin walked up alongside his mate and held onto his wife's left hand with a friendly smile on his face.

"We're safe now, my love," said Gremlin tenderly. Crystal smiled, nodding her head.

"Thank you very much for being so gentle and keeping us safe, K-1," said a very happy Crystal.

"You are quite welcome, madam," said a cheerful K-1, "Now, how about we proceed down this tunnel and resume our exploration?" Gremlin nodded his head and was about to proceed down the rocky corridor when something on up the right side of the tunnel entrance caught his eye. Without a word, Gremlin let go of his wife's hand, captivated as he walked over to what appeared to be a stone slab with strange writing carved on it.

"You found something Gremlin?" asked Crystal as she and K-1 quickly followed after the wide-eyed Sableye. Gremlin stopped in front of the 2 foot tall by 4 foot wide block of stone. He leaned forward, gently wiping off a thick layer of dust from the smooth, cold surface. Crystal was not sure what to make of what she saw and K-1 had his head half-cocked to his left.

"What have we here?" said an intrigued Gremlin, looking over the strange symbols that had been expertly etched into the stone, "I've seen writing like this before…"

"I certainly have not," said K-1, completely baffled as he quickly made a record of all the symbols in his vast databanks, "It doesn't look anything like Old Olympus. In fact, I have no record of this alphabet in my databanks."

"That's because it's a dead language," explained Gremlin, "This is the written form of the dialect of all ghost Pokémon. Though we Pokémon can easily understand each other's spoken language, some of the more advanced Pokémon civilizations created their own written languages to correspond to their spoken dialects. The Gardevoirs are certainly a good example of this."

"I don't suppose you can decode this mess, can you, Gremlin?" asked K-1 with a rare display of irritation and impatience, "I can't make heads or tails of these symbols." The Sableye laughed nervously to himself, glancing over his left shoulder at K-1.

"I wish I could," said Gremlin hesitantly, "But sadly, even my father had no idea how to read this language. He had me memorize all the symbols from several ancient tomes he owned that were written using this dead dialect, just in case I managed to find a way to translate this literary conundrum."

"Then, I suppose we have no choice but to proceed," said K-1 with disappointment, "Nonetheless, I'll keep a record of this stone tablet in my memory. Shall I lead the way, Gremlin?" Gremlin nodded his head in reply.

"Yes, please," replied the eager Sableye. So, Gremlin and Crystal followed closely behind K-1 down the nearby tunnel. Though they were all excited to see what might lie in the distance, they moved onward with great caution. They soon saw the other end of the rocky tunnel in the distance. Their enthusiasm renewed, the two newlywed Pokémon and excited robot dashed down the remainder of the tunnel, only to find another immense and dark expanse on the other side of the tunnel. K-1 and his companions were quite perplexed as they looked up into the black void, not even able to see the ceiling of the chamber.

"We've gone all that way just to find a huge and dark underground chamber?" asked Crystal with disbelief and disappointment abounding in her voice. Gremlin was equally baffled, but not just because there seemed to be nothing at the end of the long tunnel.

"How strange…" said Gremlin, "And yet, I still feel compelled to move onward… like what we are seeking is now very close." K-1 turned his eyes towards the floor and was shocked at what his optical processors were now registering.

"Gremlin! Crystal!" said an awestruck K-1, "Look at the floor!" The Kirlia and Sableye looked down at their feet and were soon struck with immense amazement as well. They were standing on expertly-carved white cobblestones.

"What is this?" asked Gremlin, "Some kind of street?" K-1 glanced left and right: the eerie darkness seemed to conceal everything. To make matters worse, some kind of unidentified force was overloading his night vision and infrared scanners. A single object soon stuck out of the inky expanse.

"Ah! Maybe this will help," said K-1 to himself as he walked up to what appeared to be a seven foot tall iron lamppost with a glass enclosure on top. There was no candle at the top of the lamppost, but there did seem to be a metallic flame emitter, although K-1 sincerely doubted the lamp was fueled by gas.

"Have you discovered something, K-1?" asked Gremlin as he and Crystal walked up to their robotic friend. K-1 wasted no time in tearing off a small access panel near the bottom of the lamppost. Inside, he saw what seemed like a single, highly-polished silvery metallic rod that ran up and down the entire length of the lamppost which led all the way up to the flame emitter in the small glass enclosure.

"Is that some kind of pipe?" asked Crystal.

"More like an arcane conductor of some sort," replied K-1, his chest compartment opening up so he could extend one of his arms towards the open panel. In K-1's hand was an arc-welder.

"Are you sure that's such a good idea, K-1?" asked Gremlin, worried while taking a few steps back away from the robot with Crystal following suit, "There's no telling what might happen if you give this lamppost an electric jolt."

"Which is why I'm only going to use a low level of voltage and current," replied K-1 confidently, "But, I would still recommend that you stand back."

"You don't have to tell me twice!" said Gremlin fearfully as he and Crystal stepped back hastily. Once the two Pokémon were several yards away, hopefully a safe distance, K-1 slowly brought his arc-welder towards the exposed metal rod.

"Here goes nothing," thought K-1 as he closed his eyes, hoping his thin metal eyelids would provide enough protection in case there was an explosion. The robot gently touched the welder against the metallic rod. There was a faint spark as K-1 applied a mere 10 volts at one amp into the lamppost. Instantly, the lamppost flared to life with a ghostly blue flame now lighting up the immediate area. Gremlin and Crystal was astonished when they could finally see more of their surroundings. All around them, the two Pokémon and robot could make out what appeared to be several ruined stone buildings going up and down the street into the thick darkness of the immense cavern.

"I think we may have discovered an underground city!" said K-1 with shock, "But how could this place have been built all the way down here and why are the nearby buildings lying in such a poor state?" While K-1 mapped out as much of the area as he could while standing still, Gremlin was glancing about the empty, silent street.

"That lamp… it reminds me of the torches you find all throughout Olympus," said Crystal with awe, "The flames require no fuel and they burn without any heat, so you can't get burned if you accidentally touch them. What kind of city is this?"

"This isn't just any city…" said a mesmerized Gremlin, "So… this place really did exist… It was more than just a legend… This has to be that place. It just has to be!"

"Gremlin? Dear?" asked Crystal, growing more worried by the minute, "Where exactly are we?" Gremlin turned around, facing Crystal with a friendly smile on his face.

"Crystal, my love…" said Gremlin with a slight bow towards his mate, "Welcome to Twilight: City of Eternal Dusk."

"Eternal dusk, you say?" said K-1 with a heavy sigh, "Certainly fitting for a city resting hundreds of feet underground."

"Well, Twilight wasn't always underground, you know," said Gremlin with a frown.

"I should have figured as such," said K-1 as he wandered over to the nearest unlit lamppost.

"Something terrible must have happened," said an uneasy Crystal.

"Sadly, that is exactly the case," said Gremlin with a sigh of despair, "Please, how about we sit down and I'll tell you a story of the ghost city of Twilight." Crystal nodded her head and sat down on the cobblestone street alongside her mate.

"Now… where to begin…?" said Gremlin, putting his left arm around Crystal, holding his lovely Kirlia close, "Ah, yes. The story of this once-grand city began ages ago…" Crystal closed her eyes, trying to imagine what Twilight may have looked like in its prime, so long ago.

"Twilight was founded by who was considered to be the most powerful ghost Pokémon in the world, second only to the legendary master of nightmares, Darkrai," said Gremlin, "He was known as Gengar the Great. He was several hundred millennia old and is credited with the creation of Ghost Forme, which he used to create a menagerie of enchanted objects. The torches in Olympus, as well as other Gardevoir settlements and the lampposts in this city were all created using the runic language and alchemical formulas of Ghost Forme. Are you paying attention to my story, K-1?"

"I can hear you just fine, Gremlin," said K-1 with a friendly tone of voice as he tore the small access panel off the darkened lamppost and quickly reignited it with a jolt from his arch-welder and then proceeded to the next deactivated lamppost, "Please continue while I get more of these lampposts relit. I imagine you will want to explore this area as much as I do."

"Very good, K-1," said Gremlin, returning his gaze to Crystal's face, "Anyway, Gengar the Great created this massive city as a safe haven for Ghost and Dark Type Pokémon to study Ghost Forme, but also just to live in peace without fear of the outside world. Of course, any peaceful creatures, with the exception of humans, were allowed to visit and dwell in Twilight."

"I guess he welcomed anyone in with open arms," remarked Crystal, "He must have been very nice."

"Well, unless you were allied with the Blight," said Gremlin, "Gengar the Great wasted no time in personally chasing out spies and ambassadors of the Blight. He absolutely detested them for their murderous and treacherous ways. For millennia, Twilight was a place of peace, refuge and learning with Gengar the Great to lead the way. However, that all changed one fateful day."

"What happened?" asked Crystal hesitantly. Gremlin cleared his throat and took a deep breath.

"Heavy Claw, the Kabutops leader of the Blight eventually managed to lay siege to Twilight," replied Gremlin somberly, "The Great Pokémon Wars were in full swing. The peaceful creatures of the world were bravely and valiantly facing off against the seemingly-unstoppable Blight. Gengar the Great knew he and his people were safe behind the massive walls of his great city and figured Twilight would easily outlast Heavy Claw's siege. Sadly, this would be his only, but ultimately fatal mistake. For on the only the 10th day of the siege, the Blight presented their champion, armed with a dark artifact, the likes of which no one had ever seen before." Crystal was shocked: she knew the very artifact which Gremlin spoke of.

"The Black Pendant!" exclaimed a wide-eyed Crystal.

"Yes…" said Gremlin despairingly, "The Mightyena which wore the Black Pendant easily tore through the city walls, even though they were walls of stone bricks built 100 feet tall and 50 feet thick. The massive Blight army poured into Twilight, slaughtering anyone in their path. Gengar quickly ordered his royal guards to gather as many of the city's inhabitants as possible and then lead them to safety. Gengar stayed behind, alone in his tower at the center of Twilight, watching his guards plow through the Blight's army. Many fell in their escape and Gengar the Great wept for the first time in his life, grieved that even he, with all his power could do nothing to stop the invasion and murder of his people. Thanks to Gengar's quick actions plus the loyalty and unshakable determination of the royal guards, many residents of Twilight managed to escape into the mountains. The Blight, oddly enough, did not pursue the survivors. Instead, they ransacked Twilight and tore many of the buildings to the ground. As for Gengar the Great, it is said that he fell in battle against the Black Pendant. He knew he would draw the undivided attention of the Blight, so he stayed behind, knowing he would have to give his life to save what remained of his people."

"Wow…" said Crystal with sadness in her voice, "He was very brave…" Gremlin nodded his head in agreement.

"Indeed he was," said Gremlin, "Though Gengar the Great was mortally wounded, he managed to cling to life long enough to finally meet his adversary: the murderous leader of the Blight. Heavy Claw himself is said to have smiled, watching Gengar pass away in his midst. However, instead of hearing Gengar the Great cry out with pain or beg for mercy, the dying ghost Pokémon merely laughed at Heavy Claw and the victorious Mightyena. Gengar said to heavy claw, 'You think you have defeated me and my people? You fools have merely sealed your own fates! Your doom is assured, Heavy Claw. One day, a member of your own family will be the architect of your demise! You shall die in the great palace of Olympus and the Order of Twining Shadows shall return in greater numbers than you can possibly imagine!' Gengar laughed one last time, closing his eyes. Then Heavy Claw became all the more enraged when his trophy, the body of Gengar the Great, suddenly vanished into thin air, leaving behind only his royal garments."

"Wait a minute," said a rather bewildered Crystal, "How could anyone have known what happened to Gengar the Great besides more members of the Blight?"

"That's a very good question and I have just the answer," replied Gremlin with a smile, "An ancestor of mine had stayed behind to defend Gengar the Great. Instead, Gengar commanded him to bear witness to what happened to him, hoping the story would compel others to join in the fight against the Blight."

"I see," said Crystal softly, nodding her head with understanding, "But what happened next?"

"Well, Heavy Claw was not satisfied with simply defeating Gengar the Great and taking over Twilight," explained Gremlin, "In fact, Heavy Claw was furious, because after several weeks of scouring the city, the Blight army was unable to locate any of the artifacts that Gengar and his followers had crafted throughout the ages. Enraged, Heavy Claw had his army combine their powers and they caused a great earthquake below Twilight, causing the once great city to sink underground, where it has lain abandoned and lonely ever since. As for my ancestor, he managed to escape alive and undetected from the city, bearing witness to its supposed destruction. Despite Twilight vanishing completely, there were many who believed the city was still intact underground. As you can see, those Pokémon were correct."

"Gremlin! Crystal! Come here quick! You have to see this!" called K-1 from down the street. The newlyweds looked down the street to see that several of the old lampposts had been relit, brightly illuminating the streets around them.

"We'll be right there!" answered Gremlin, lowering his voice before speaking to Crystal with a smile on his face, "I think we'd best go and see what our metallic friend discovered, don't you?" Crystal nodded her head, agreeing with her Sableye mate.

"I'll bet he found something neat," said Crystal, giggling with excitement. The Sableye and Kirlia in wedding dresses rose to their feet and walked quickly down the street towards an intact building about 100 yards from where they had just been sitting.

"Hold it right there," said K-1, "Now, I want you to step back and look down the nearest darkened street."

"Why?" asked Gremlin, "And what did you find in there?"

"I think I may have discovered some kind of arcane power conduit," replied K-1, "I'm going to give it a bit of a charge and see what happens. I am pretty sure this device is what controls all of the lampposts down here." Gremlin and Crystal did as they were asked and glanced down the nearest street which was shrouded in darkness.

"We're ready," said Gremlin.

"Okay!" said an enthusiastic K-1, "Here we go!" Crystal saw a spark from out of the corner of her eye. Suddenly, the entire cavern became illuminated with bright lights. Gremlin and Crystal reflexively closed their eyes, shielding them with their hands. Once the newlyweds' eyes began to adjust to the lighting, they could soon see the full scope of the ruined city. They could easily make out hundreds of buildings in the distance, many of them five stories high or more and made from seemingly nothing but white bricks and mortar. Down the street, and at the very center of the sprawling, dilapidated metropolis was a single, but very large tower which dominated the landscape. The magnificent building was also made of white stone.

"This place is wonderful!" said an astounded Crystal, "I had no idea Twilight was such a big and beautiful city."

"Neither did I…" said Gremlin, awestruck at what his eyes beheld, "Just imagine what this place looked like before being ravaged by the Blight."

"It would appear the structures of Twilight were made from the same white and gray marble as Olympus," remarked K-1, whistling with amazement, "How fascinating."

"I wonder if Gengar the Great had dealings with any kings or queens from Olympus?" asked Crystal.

"One can only wonder," said K-1, walking up to get closer to his friends, "There is only one thing that puzzles me: why, Crystal, were you and Gremlin drawn to this place? Do you still feel like something is calling out to you?"

"There is," said Crystal softly, "But… now I feel like I'm just supposed to wait here for something."

"I feel the same, my love…" said a mystified Gremlin. K-1 suddenly turned his head to face the street which led to the massive tower at the center of Twilight.

"I hear something coming…" warned K-1, "Be ready for anything. This very well could be a trap…"

"You don't think the Blight led us here to kill us, do you Gremlin?" asked Crystal with fear.

"I… hope not…" was Gremlin's very hesitant reply. Off in the distance, the group of worried travelers could hear loud, thunderous footsteps coming from the city's center. K-1 squinted his eyes, forcing his electronic optics to peer ahead at their very limit: he could see a dark silhouette several blocks away. The quadruped figure seemed to be running towards him and his Pokémon companions on all fours with surprising speed, much like a large bear.

"What in the world is that?" shrieked Crystal, ducking behind Gremlin for protection. The Sableye sneered at the approaching figure as a dark aura began to surround his body.

"I sure hope we're not in for a fight…" growled Gremlin. K-1's mini plasma Vulcan cannons unfurled from his sides. The multi-barreled guns began to spin rapidly and K-1 was soon ready to fire at a moment's notice. The hulking figure continued its forward charge towards Gremlin and company. The ground was starting to shake as the strange figure came ever closer towards the leery Sableye, Kirlia and robot. Gremlin wasn't sure why, but felt an odd… calming sensation about his body. Crystal looked over at his mate, feeling the same way as her mate.

"Stand down K-1…" said Gremlin, now thoroughly confused, "I think… I think that… thing might be friendly." K-1 glanced at Gremlin, wondering if the Sableye had just lost his mind.

"Are you kidding me?" exclaimed K-1, but nonetheless, he allowed his mini-guns to spin down, "Okay, but you had better be right, for all our sakes!" The hulking creature… or machine slowed its charge as it approached the two Pokémon and K-1. Now, K-1 was more intrigued than worried when he got a good look at the approaching figure.

"What is that?" asked a puzzled K-1, "It looks like it's made of some kind of metal…" The hulking machine slowed down as it came closer, coming to a gentle stop just a few feet away from Gremlin. For K-1, the machine's body resembled a grizzly bear from his own world, but its front legs had hands with a thumb and three fingers each instead of razor-sharp claws. The round head of the machine was featureless, save for a single blue eye at the center of what K-1 figured was its face. The machine turned its glowing blue eye upon Crystal and then stared straight at Gremlin. The hulking automaton was covered with Ghost Forme symbols in decorative patterns, many of which Gremlin had never seen before. The machine's eye glowed with a yellow light as it looked Gremlin over. The machine's eye glowed brighter as it spoke in a surprisingly gentle, refined and most decidedly masculine voice.

"Welcome to Twilight, young ones," said the automaton, "I have been waiting for your arrival for over a thousand years." Of all the surprises Gremlin and his friends had encountered so far, this one was certainly the most bewildering.

"Excuse me?" asked a dumbfounded Gremlin, "What do you mean you've been expecting us?" The hulking golem paused for a moment: it seemed to be confused at Gremlin's statement.

"I have identified you as a descendant of a member of the Order of Twining Shadows, Gengar the Great's royal guards and the greatest practitioners of Ghost Forme," explained the automaton, towering over Gremlin as it stood up on its hind legs, "Are you not from the Order of Twining Shadows? I doubt it. I am never wrong. I can tell who you are quite clearly, although, I did not expect you to be in such attire. Well, I should have figured that out since this Kirlia is your wife."

"Who or what are you?" demanded K-1, folding his mini-guns back up into his sides. The automaton turned around, fixing its eye and upon K-1, gazing at him with curiosity.

"I have never seen a machine like you before, especially one that is not operated by the power of Ghost Forme," said the automaton, "I have been awaiting your arrival as well."

"I see…" said a confused K-1, "But you did not answer my question: who or what are you?"

"You may call me G6," replied the automaton, "That stands for Gengar the Great's Gargantuan Ghost Forme Guardian Golem."

"Incredible!" said Crystal with delight, "An intelligent machine that is completely powered by magic!"

"That is incorrect," said G6, turning his gaze upon Crystal, "I am powered by the runic language and alchemical powers of Ghost Forme. I was created by Gengar the Great to serve one purpose: to guide a Sableye, a Kirlia and a machine with a feline-like appearance that walks on two legs and has no visible arms."

"That would be me," said K-1, "You may call me K-1."

"Ah. That would be a lot easier and less wordy than addressing you as 'The Cat-like Golem' or 'Machine with a Feline Appearance'," admitted G6 with a nod of his head, "Now, we must be on our way. We have little time to waste."

"Where are you going to take us?" asked a hesitant Gremlin.

"I am required to take you to Gengar the Great's tomb," replied G6, "There is much he must say to you."

"Hold on!" shouted Gremlin, "Gengar the Great is dead! He was killed ages ago by Heavy Claw's minion!"

"The information is correct," said G6, "But at any rate, I must complete my mission. If you refuse, I am authorized to force you to the given location against your will. Believe me; I would rather not be required to resort to barbaric tactics. Now then, Gengar the Great has a message for all three of you. We must make haste for the tomb."

"Why the big rush?" asked Gremlin.

"It would be much easier to show you than sit here and try and explain every last detail with words for the next several hours or many days, wouldn't you agree?" asked G6.

"Agreed," said K-1 with a nod, "Shall we proceed now, my friends?" Gremlin and Crystal nodded their heads in unison.

"Lead the way, G6," commanded Gremlin.

"Affirmative," said G6 as he set his front limbs back down on the ground, "Please follow me and stay close. This city is vast and getting lost here is not recommended, unless you truly desire to see hundreds of skeletons lining the streets and ruined buildings… curse the Blight…" Crystal tightly held onto Gremlin's left hand. The trio of explorers followed after the metallic Golem down the long abandoned avenues. Crystal couldn't help but be afraid. Her mind was wandering and she couldn't stop herself from imagining the horrible things the Blight had done after overrunning the entire city.

"We'll be okay," whispered Gremlin to his mate, smiling in a loving manner, trying to comfort her.

"Thank you, Gremlin…" said Crystal softly. The long journey was quite unnerving in the dead-silent metropolis. Nonetheless, G6 and his followers soon arrived in a sprawling cemetery not far from Gengar the Great's former home.

"Oh, no!" said K-1 with shock, running past G6 to take a closer look at the soft earth of the cemetery. There were several sets of footprints all about the burial ground: all them definitely did not belong to any Pokémon.

"What's the matter K-1?" asked a worried Crystal.

"He has discovered one piece of a greater puzzle," replied G6. K-1 scanned the ground with his keen eyes, analyzing all the footprints. His programming quickly came up with a result.

"There were at least a dozen humans here not long ago," said K-1, "I believe they were all wearing some kind of combat boots, too." G6 nodded his head.

"Sadly, humans have desecrated this hallowed ground;" said G6, "Note the craters and burn marks in the ground near the grand tomb in the center of the cemetery? They attempted to break into Gengar the Great's tomb. No doubt, they were after his trove of treasures." A small stone building with a single, sealed door was indeed at the very middle of the cemetery. Atop the building was a statue of Gengar the Great himself: dressed in royal robes, wearing an ornate crown and cradling a scepter in his hands. For some reason, Gengar's statue did not have a grin on its face, but a much more benevolent and serious expression. The building was decorated with intricate designs and murals, featuring Gengar the Great, including a map with Gengar standing at various locations in the Gardev Region.

"Look at this," remarked Crystal, "This mural shows Gengar the Great, standing next to a Gardevoir king and queen in the Olympus throne room!"

"I don't recognize any of these other places," added K-1 as he pointed at a pair of murals on the opposite side of the tomb from Gremlin and Crystal, "But I recognize these locations as the Gardevoir city of Atlantis and the other from the ruins of Asgard. It would appear that Gengar the Great was friends with the ruling families of the Gardevoir settlements."

"Indeed," said G6, "As for the tomb itself, I am most grateful the humans were unable to breach it."

"I'll say," remarked K-1, seeing the burn marks and many small craters around the tomb, "Looks like they tried to use high explosives to break into the tomb, but the structure is completely unharmed." G6 seemed perplexed at K-1's observation.

"Explosives?" asked G6, "I have no information on that word. Please define it for me."

"Well, an explosive is a substance that contains a great amount of stored energy that can produce an explosion, a sudden expansion of the material after initiation, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure," explained K-1. G6 paused for a moment. From what K-1 and his companions could figure, G6 was trying his best to understand K-1's lengthy and rather wordy description.

"Understood," said G6, "I have recorded that information. I remember seeing lots of these 'Explosions' here yesterday when the humans tried to enter the tomb. I would have destroyed them, but Gengar commanded me not to harm anyone unless it was absolutely necessary. Since the tomb is indestructible, my intervention was not required."

"Which brings to question…" said Gremlin, narrowing his eyes on the tomb's sealed stone door, "How are we supposed to get inside." G6 turned his gaze upon the bewildered Sableye.

"I am required to instruct you," said G6 firmly, "All you have to do is approach the door and wait."

"That's all?" asked Gremlin.

"That, as you say, is all," answered G6, "Now please do as I requested. I cannot begin to explain how important it is that you all see Gengar the Great at once."

"I thought Gremlin already mentioned this: Gengar the Great passed away long ago," said K-1 matter-of-factly.

"Don't say that!" snarled G6, "He has a message for all of you and requests your presence at once."

"Enough arguing! All of you!" said Crystal impatiently, "I'm getting tired and hungry after all this exploration down here in these caverns! Let's please get this over with so we can get back to the surface already!"

"My thoughts exactly, milady," said G6 calmly. Gremlin shrugged his shoulders and stepped towards the tomb's decorated door. No sooner did the Sableye come within a few feet of the door when Gremlin and his friends heard a soft "Click!" from somewhere in the door. The stone slab slid to the left, revealing a passageway that led into the tomb.

"As I detected," said G6 with a nod of his head, "You are a descendant of a member of the Order of Twining Shadows, otherwise the door would have never opened for you. Now, Gengar the Great has been waiting for you to arrive here with your wife and robotic companion. Please proceed. I have been instructed never to enter the tomb unless absolutely necessary. After all, I am only its guardian."

"I understand," said Gremlin with a nod of affirmation, "K-1, Crystal: we should be on our way." Crystal walked up to her mate and held onto his left hand.

"Agreed: I'll follow you," said K-1. With that, the Sableye, Kirlia and K-1 slowly entered the tomb. The stone door slid closed behind the three companions. Torches with blue fire lined each side of the long, white marble hallway. A bright red carpet lined the floor all the way to a set of double doors at the opposite of the corridor. The two Pokémon and K-1 cautiously made their way slowly down the quiet hallway, wondering about what would await them up ahead.


	10. Section 10

**-143-**

Night had fallen upon the Gardevoir metropolis of Olympus hours ago, but for some reason, Glacian was still awake. He was alone in the palace throne room, gazing upon one of the dozens of large tapestries that shared the walls of the massive chamber with over a hundred portraits. The lighting in the palace was always dimmed at night as not to disturb any sleeping residents of the elaborate and sprawling white marble building. Despite this, the sage Gardevoir king could easily make out the images sewn into the immense piece of fabric. This particular tapestry was an ancient map of all the Pokémon settlements that dotted the surrounding land for hundreds of miles around Olympus: an area that had been named the Gardev Region centuries ago by humans. Glacian's eyes were fixated upon an area that was roughly twenty miles to the west of where the great city of Alakaz now stood in the desert, not far from a mighty river that ran from the mountains to the north all the way down to the southern coast. This river seemed to divide the Gardev Region into two perfect halves. An image of a city with white walls and white buildings had once stood not all that far from where Alakaz was located. The Gardevoir king had wondered for many years what had become of this particular Pokémon city, but he still knew all too well how the settlement fell.

"Twilight…" thought Glacian, scowling at where the ghost metropolis had once stood, "…Completely annihilated by the Blight. To this day, no one knows the true fate of the city of eternal dusk… Yet, I can't help but wonder if Twilight still exists, even though the city supposedly sank into the desert…" Just days earlier, Glacian had read in some ancient tomes from the sealed archival room about two settlements. Two once-thriving metropolises: Twilight had vanished from the face of the earth over 2 thousand years ago while the other had been left in ruins, centuries after being attacked by an army of evil humans. The sage Gardevoir turned around fast when he heard the heavy marble doors of the throne room begin to open. The parted double doors revealed Gloria, still dressed in her full royal splendor, just like her mate was at this time.

"Thank you very much, Wallace," said Gloria with a smile, glancing to her left at the captain of the Olympus Elite Guard, who was standing just out of Glacian's sight in the hallway beyond the grand throne room entrance.

"Your wish is my command, your highness," said Wallace as the Gardevoir queen stepped into the throne room and was soon on approach towards Glacian. The throne room was quiet, save for the soft rustling of Gloria's beautiful wedding dress. Glacian couldn't help but admire his wife's royal attire as it shimmering and sparkled brightly, even in the fairly dim light.

"There you are, Glacian," said Gloria, some concern evident in her voice, "I've been waiting for you to come to bed with me for hours. You just walked off on your own without a word when we went to our bedroom three hours ago. It's now midnight, dear and I've been worrying about you. I figured you would be back soon. I only found out where you've been for the last several hours after asking a few of the Gallades."

"Oh, Gloria… please forgive me, my love," said Glacian, his eyes closed while he bowed slightly towards his queen, "Something very important came to my mind and I had to come to the throne room at once in order to think, meditate and pray on this matter: quietly by myself."

"You should have told me what you were up to so I wouldn't worry," said Gloria, "But I do forgive you, my dear Glacian."

"Thank you, Gloria," said the Gardevoir king as he stood back up straight, "I promise: it won't happen again."

"I doubt it," said Gloria with a smirk, "Whenever something vital crosses your mind, you wander off to some random and quiet place in the palace to meditate and pray. How come you don't ask me to join you? I am your wife after all and one of my duties as your mate is to help you." The Gardevoir queen walked up to and came to a stop at Glacian's left side.

"I'm sorry, Gloria," said Glacian somberly, "I had to endure many decades without you at my side. I'm afraid it's become an unshakable habit to do my meditation and prayer alone. Still, I'll work harder to include you, if you wish. Your insight has been utterly invaluable over the years. Please know that I have the utmost respect for you, my love."

"I know you do," said Gloria with a friendly smile, reaching out to gently grasp her mate's left hand in her right hand, "And I would love to join you here whenever you need to think hard on something." The Gardevoir monarch released Gloria's hand and stepped along his wife in order to put his left arm around her waist, holding his queen close and tightly.

"I'll bring you up to speed on what is troubling me," said Glacian with a soft voice, "A few days ago, I was reading through some very old books when I discovered some long-lost information regarding two Pokémon cities that have practically disappeared in the last two millennia." Gloria turned her gaze upon the large tapestry directly in front of her and Glacian.

"I noticed you were staring at this old map when the throne room doors began to open," remarked Gloria, "I don't think I've ever taken a good look at this tapestry before. I recognize most of these locations." The Gardevoir queen then identified several of the marked Pokémon cites as she pointed at each one with her left hand, calling out the name of each settlement.

"At the center of the map, we have our home: Olympus. The grandest Gardevoir city in the world, nestled in the glaciers at the summit of Mt. Ivory. To our south along the mountainous coast, located at the end of a narrow canyon lies Atlantis, right at the edge of the ocean," explained Gloria, "The forests due north and several hundred miles away from the human city of Alakaz is Gaia: a small town that had been built into a large system of caverns, which had been carved naturally over millions of years by underground waterways. Strange that I don't see Midgard on this map, though…"

"I see you remember much history from our realm. Of course, I would expect nothing less from you, my dear," said Glacian with an appreciative nod, "This tapestry is over 2,000 years old. You may recall that Midgard was created as a haven for those who fled the destruction of Asgard."

"That's right… Asgard," said Gloria, pointing at the city's location on the old map, "It used to be right there: about 250 miles due south of Alakaz in the Gardev River canyon, roughly 100 miles from the coast to the south. I remember how Asgard was besieged and then eventually destroyed by an army of vile humans who wanted to steal the immense treasures from the city. I can't help but wonder what kind of horrible monsters would dare do such a thing!"

"That part of the story is not widely known," explained Glacian, "And for good reason." Gloria gazed upon her mate.

"Why is that?" asked a curious Gloria. The Gardevoir king drew a deep breath, letting out a sigh of dread.

"Do you truly desire to know the horrible truth?" asked Glacian with great hesitation, "You may not like my answer."

"My love, I don't think we should keep secrets from each other," said Gloria with a firm, yet gentle voice, "Please tell me."

"As you wish, my queen," said Glacian with dread, "The attack on Asgard was orchestrated and carried out by one of Warren's ancestors." Gloria was dumbfounded at Glacian's statement.

"How can that be?" asked a disbelieving Gloria, "Warren is a very good man, just like his grandson Jake and brother John. The Gardev mayor's other brother, Alfred, may have some odd personality quirks, but he also means well." Glacian nodded his head in agreement with his wife.

"That is all true, but perhaps you've heard of Warren's youngest brother Alfanso or his uncle Gregory Allens?" asked Glacian, "Ever since the founder of Gardev and his vile twin brother split off from each other over 1,000 years ago, there has always been a rift in the Allens family. This rift divides the good, honorable half of Warren's lineage from the greedy and evil members of his family. Gregory is the current CEO of the Allens Corporation: a highly-reputable producer of advanced electronics and other machinery. However, he is also the most influential senator of the Gardev Region. Gregory Allens is mired with countless accusations of corruption, such as working with crime syndicates over his decades of service." Gloria frowned.

"Like Team Rocket and Cipher?" asked Gloria with disgust.

"Among other groups," answered Glacian, "But there was never enough evidence presented in one impeachment trial after another to confirm the allegations against Gregory. Alfanso is rumored to have done shady dealings as well."

"I can see why Warren, most of his brothers and Jake stay away from those two," said Gloria with a shudder.

"Indeed," said Glacian wholeheartedly. Gloria returned her attention to the colorful cloth map. The queen's eyes were soon fixated on a Pokémon city roughly 20 miles west of Alakaz.

"Twilight?" asked Gloria with curiosity, "I don't recall anything about that place. Does it still exist?"

"Not likely," said Glacian with a heavy sigh, "That entire city was sunk under the sands of the vast Gardev Desert after being overrun by the Blight. It's quite sad, really. Twilight, called the city of eternal dusk, was founded by a wise Gengar, who often went by the title of Gengar the Great. He built the city with help from the kings and queens of Olympus, Asgard, Atlantis and the chieftain of Gaia as a place where ghost Pokémon could live peacefully as well as study the lost art of Ghost Forme."

"Ghost Forme?" asked Gloria, "What exactly is that?"

"From what I read in the old tomes, this ancient art was a combination of a runic language and a form of alchemy," replied Glacian, "Gremlin would be the one to ask about Ghost Forme as he used it to create a pendant for his wife, Crystal, as well as his and his mate's wedding rings."

"I certainly remember Gremlin and Crystal's wedding," giggled a very cheerful Gloria, "My, what a day that was…"

"Indeed. Certainly the first time I have ever led a wedding for a Kirlia and a Sableye," said Glacian softly, his voice surprisingly filled with concern. It only took a moment for Gloria to realize that something was greatly bothering her mate.

"Why do you say that with such a worrying tone, my love?" asked Gloria gently with a frown replacing her bright smile in an instant, "Have you foreseen something terrible?"

"I'm afraid so," answered Glacian hesitantly, "What I saw may have just been a nightmare last night, but I'm still fearful of what I witnessed in that horrid dream…"

"Do you want to talk about it?" asked Gloria with a tender and loving tone of voice.

"I think I should," was Glacian's reply as he took another deep breath and bowed his head, "That poor Kirlia has no idea what she's gotten herself into by marrying Gremlin. That Sableye his brother, mother and his father are the only known descendants from an ancient order of Pokémon, which had been founded many millennia ago by Gengar the Great. The Order of Twining Shadows was created for the purpose of keeping peace in the city of Twilight. Its members also served as Gengar's elite royal guards. Supposedly, one of Gremlin's ancestors, also a Sableye, had witnessed Gengar the Great's passing and the destruction of Twilight. Apparently, the descendants from the Order of Twining Shadows are but one piece of a greater puzzle that will ultimately lead to Heavy Claw's defeat."

"How could a few Pokémon possibly be such a danger to the leader of the Blight?" asked Gloria with bewilderment.

"Only the good Lord knows for certain," replied Glacian, "I just hope Gremlin and Crystal don't linger long in Alakaz. I fear the Blight may be on to them." Gloria sighed heavy as she leaned against her loving Gardevoir king.

"I think they'll be fine," said Gloria confidently, "Gremlin would never do anything that would jeopardize Crystal, plus K-1 and some of Mack's other robots are with them, too."

"You are right," said Glacian with a nod of his head and with some relief in his voice, "Nonetheless, I hope they are careful and staying out of sight."

"I'll bet they are doing alright and we have nothing to worry about," said Gloria, smiling at her king, "Besides, I've had enough talk about serious matters for the day. Say! Did you hear the news about Mack and Aura?"

"I do remember," replied Glacian cheerfully, "Mack and Angel arranged for the Olympus Ballet Board to travel to the Gardev village in order to administer the final ballet exams for Aura."

"Mack took the tests as well," giggled Gloria gleefully.

"And thus the two Guardians of Gardev received their tiaras," said Glacian proudly, "And are now master-level dancers."

"I think that was sweet of Mack to go through all that just for Aura," said Gloria with joy, "Do you suppose some arrangements could be made for someone to teach me ballet? I would love to earn my tiara, so maybe we could perform together one day. I know you received your tiara and the rank of ballet master when you were just a Kirlia, my dear."

"That was a long time ago," chuckled Glacian nervously, "I haven't performed ballet in over a century. No doubt I will need lessons as well just to remember what I learned so long ago."

"Now that I think about…" said Gloria, a smile spreading across her face, "Why don't we arrange for our entire family to learn ballet together? Can you imagine all of us earning our tiaras and putting on a grand performance for all of Olympus?" Glacian laughed warmly as he held Gloria against his left side.

"That would be quite an undertaking!" said Glacian with laughter, "Still, I guess that would be worth trying. Perhaps seeing the royal family of Olympus dancing together would encourage more residents to become professional ballet dancers? From what I've heard from the Ballet Board, attendance in the advanced-level classes and beyond is very low these days."

"Then it's settled!" said Gloria excitedly with a nod of her head, "After the newlywed couples have finished with their honeymoons, let's organize some dance lessons for everyone in the family. Oh! We'll need several sets of ballet attire, too!"

"One step at a time, my love," said Glacian with a gentle voice, "There is no need to rush into such an undertaking. After all, tiaras are only awarded to professional-level dancers who have practiced long and hard for many years. Plus, I have my doubts that every member of our family has the talent or even the will to learn ballet." Gloria had an evil grin on her face.

"Those ex-Cipher members of our family are going to be in for quite a surprise, then…" giggled Gloria.

"I suppose so," said Glacian, grinning at his queen, "Well, I do believe it is now well beyond time for us to get some rest. Shall we be off, my love?" Gloria nodded her head, blushing slightly as Glacian stepped forward and took his queen up in his arms, sweeping her right off her feet in one fluid motion. The two beautifully-dressed Gardevoir monarchs started on their way to their bedroom. Even in her elated state, Gloria couldn't help but think about what Glacian had said about Gremlin and Crystal.

"I hope you two stay safe…" thought Gloria as the throne room doors opened up before her and Glacian. The two royal Gardevoirs stepped into the hallway and they were soon walking down the corridor back to their room. The heavy, twin marble doors closed behind Glacian and his mate as they left the now dead-silent and dimly-lit throne room behind for the night.

**-144-**

The long, white marble corridor may have been brightly-lit, but this did little put Gremlin, Crystal and K-1 at ease. Although there seemed to be no traps, pitfalls or places where foes could wait in ambush in this supposed tomb, the Sableye, his Kirlia wife and K-1 were still on edge. After spending several minutes on a cautious approach towards the end of the corridor, Gremlin and company had arrived at their destination. All that remained was getting past a wooden, white-painted door.

"I hope we're not walking into a trap…" murmured K-1. The robot gently pushed his left foot against the door and it opened with little effort, revealing a large, brightly-lit chamber. The underground room was completely silent and heavily decorated. The floor was covered with deep red carpet with gold trim. Every last inch of the white marble walls and ceiling in the chamber were decorated with ornate carvings and reliefs. At the very center of the room, resting on a dais was an ornate coffin, which seemed to be made entirely of heavily-polished gold. In front of the coffin were three treasure chests: all of them made of polished dark oak with golden accents. Oddly enough, the air in the tomb was not stale.

"How odd…" remarked K-1, "This chamber has probably been sealed for millennia. Yet, everything looks brand new: as if all the stone and metal in here is freshly-polished."

"I'll bet we're the first ones to step in here since Gengar the Great passed away," suggested Crystal.

"I think it's safe to say that we are in no danger here," said K-1 confidently, "I detect no hidden panels or pitfalls. The walls, ceiling and floor are made of solid stone with nothing behind them but dirt and rock. At least that is what my scanners can see." K-1 began a slow approach with Gremlin and Crystal following close behind towards the glimmering coffin and the three chests resting in front of it. The two Pokémon and their robotic companion stopped in their tracks a few feet away from the three ornate containers.

"I wonder what's in these things?" asked Gremlin to himself. The Sableye walked over to the chest on his left. He looked over the fancy box for a moment before grabbing onto the lid. Gremlin pulled as hard as he could, but the lid would not budge.

"Most bizarre…" said K-1, "Maybe this one will open instead?" K-1 walked over to the treasure chest on the right and extended six of his robotic arms from his central compartment. The robot grabbed tightly onto the chest's lid and pulled with all his might, but he was also unable to open the stubborn container.

"What about this one?" asked Crystal, stepping towards the middle treasure chest. No sooner did the young Kirlia lay her hands on the ornate container when she heard a soft click, as if a lock had just disengaged.

"Oh?" said K-1 and Gremlin together, somewhat surprised at the sudden, yet gentle sound as their gaze fell upon Crystal. The Sableye and robot came alongside the stunned Kirlia. K-1 retracted his arms and closed up the panel in his center torso.

"Well?" asked Gremlin with a friendly smile, "Would you like to be the one to open it?" Crystal nodded her head and placed her hands on the wood and golden lid. With a gentle motion the top of the treasure chest lifted upward, revealing what lay inside. At first, the three friends were bewildered at the artifact that lay in the chest upon a small purple pillow.

"What on earth is that?" asked a puzzled Gremlin.

"It looks like some kind of crystal… a black one," said Crystal, "I don't understand… Why would someone spend their time making this fancy tomb in order burry this thing down here with two other locked treasure chests?" K-1 looked over the expertly-cut and polished dark gemstone. The jet-black rectangular crystal was roughly six inches long with one-inch sides and a perfectly square one inch top and bottom.

"I feel like we've overlooked something," said Gremlin with a heavy sigh, "Maybe there is some kind of task we need to do in order to unlock the other chests?"

"K-1, are you sure there are no hidden panels or switches in this room?" asked a confused Crystal. K-1 stood still and silent for a few moments as his keen eyes examined the large, dark gem.

"I do believe I have found a switch," said K-1, again opening up his chest panel to extend two of his intricate metallic arms. K-1 gently grasped onto the crystal with his rubber-tipped fingers and then proceeded to cautiously lift the dark gemstone from the treasure chest. K-1 moved the pointer fingers on both hands against the top of bottom of the crystal. Two hidden switches, each one only half an inch wide slid into the crystal. A low hum filled the room as a dark purple aura began to surround the gemstone. In an instant, K-1 figured out what he and his Pokémon companions had just discovered.

"What's happening, K-1?" said Crystal fearfully, holding her husband close. Gremlin embraced his wife, not entirely sure what was going to happen next.

"Don't be afraid," said K-1 with calming voice to the scared Kirlia and startled Sableye, "This appears to be a Ghost Forme holographic projector of sorts. I can see strange runes etched all throughout the middle of this gemstone."

"Greetings, my friends and I bid you welcome to Twilight: the city of eternal dusk," said a benevolent voice from in front and above K-1 and his companions. The robot, Kirlia and Sableye looked up to see a transparent, life-sized three-dimensional projection of Gengar the Great. The ghost Pokémon ruler was dressed in his finest clothing with a golden, bejeweled crown resting on his brow. He was cradling a golden scepter, accented with more jewels, in his arms.

"Well…" said Gengar with a heavy sigh of despair, "By the time you reach my city and find this crystal, Twilight will have lain in ruins for over two millennia. Right now, as I record this message, the great army of the Blight has laid siege to my city. We've been cut off for ten days and I fear the morning sun is about to rise on my final day."

"So…" said Gremlin with awe, "This is Gengar the Great himself."

"Most definitely, my friend," cackled Gengar, smiling as his hologram descended towards the surprised Pokémon and robot, "I have waited for your arrival for many, many years. There is much I must say to you and very little time to do so."

"Hold on!" exclaimed Gremlin, "Are you actually talking to me?"

"But of course!" said Gengar, laughing warmly as his transparent figure touched down on the floor, "Surely you don't think I would simply leave behind a crude memory storage artifact, did you? Of course not, dear friend."

"This is impossible," said Gremlin with disbelief, "You're dead… you were slain thousands of years go."

"Ah! But perhaps your mechanical friend here noticed the runes which I personally carved into this crystal?" said Gengar as he walk up to the wide-eyed robot, "K-1… that's a rather bizarre name, if you ask me."

"Funny," said K-1 with a smirk, "I wouldn't exactly say that 'G6' was an imaginative name for your golem."

"Touché!" laughed Gengar, "But, as you can see, I used Ghost Forme to create this remarkable device. Basically, the runes dictate that my essence will become trapped inside the crystal upon my death. Only upon activation by your metallic hands, K-1 am I now able to stand before you. Well, even if just literally in spirit form. I am completely unable to interact with anything physically now. What is that word? I believe you would call me a 'Hologram': an un-solid, three dimensional being of sorts being projected into view. I have slept these last several centuries inside the dark gem your hold in your hands, K-1, while my remains have long been sealed inside the coffin before you."

"Why did you do such a thing?" asked Gremlin with shock, "I thought you had declared such arts, like soul-trapping, as forbidden and punishable by death! My father told me this!"

"Ah… what was your dad's name?" asked Gengar to himself, gently stroking his chin with his right hand. The hologram appeared to snap its fingers with a realization, though no sound was produced by the incorporeal figure.

"Asmodeus," said Gengar the Great with a nod.

"Sheesh…" said Gremlin, "How could you possibly know so much?"

"Well, let's just say I spent a fair amount of time with a close friend," replied Gengar with a friendly tone of voice, "Their names escape me, but they were the king and queen of Olympus during the last years of my rule over Twilight. Being Gardevoirs, they could easily see into the future and foretold your arrival here, though they still had no clue what would become of me and my grand metropolis. As for the forbidden Ghost Forme arts you mentioned, I only did so in desperation. Besides, I only forbid others from using these particular arts as I did not want them to be abused. I trust you will not dare try to replicate my crystal, will you?"

"I will honor your wishes," said Gremlin resolutely.

"Fantastic!" said Gengar happily, his voice now taking on a more serious tone, "Now, time is short. There is only so much arcane energy stored in my crystal. When it runs out of power, I will vanish and be unable to interact with the world ever again."

"You mean… you will be locked inside that black gem forever?" asked a saddened Crystal.

"No," said Gengar reassuringly, "After our meeting here is over, I ask that you destroy the crystal. Doing so will free my essence and I will at least be able to journey to the afterlife." Gremlin nodded his head with affirmation.

"We'll do it," said Gremlin with unshakable determination.

"Most excellent," said Gengar happily, "I knew I would be able to count on all of you. Now, please take a seat. There is a lot I must discuss before my time is up." Gremlin and Crystal sat down on the soft red carpet next to each other.

"As you are aware, the Blight is responsible for the destruction of Twilight. I witnessed my city walls being breached, not long before I was slain by the power of the Black Pendant," explained Gengar, "However, I was not alone in the throne room on that day. An ancestor of yours, Gremlin, a member of the Order of Twining Shadows, stubbornly stayed at my side and out of sight to bear witness to what would happen to me and our home in the coming days. You see, after being mortally wounded, I used what was left of my power to disappear from my throne room and to the top of my tower with your ancestor not far behind. We watched, as I held onto life for a few more days in inexplicable agony, when the Blight caused a rift to open up in the ground below Twilight. Heavy Claw was so angry when his army couldn't find any treasure in my vast, white marble realm that he tried to have my great city destroyed. Gremlin: your predecessor stayed with me until I finally succumbed to my wounds. It took several minutes for Twilight to completely sink into the desert sands, giving you ancestor plenty of time to escape into the mountains to the east. The moment I passed away, my body was teleported into the golden coffin before you while my very spirit was captured by the black crystal you now hold in your hands, K-1. I actually slept the entire time between the 'Destruction' of Twilight and when you activated my little device. Nonetheless, I am well aware of how much time has passed since those dark days." Gremlin sat down on the floor and was absolutely motionless, deep in thought, for several minutes. It took quite a while for the stunned Sableye to fully understand all which Gengar had just spoken.

"So… my father and I are descendants of the only royal guard who refused to leave your side in battle?" asked a thoroughly confused Gremlin, "But, weren't you angry at him?"

"I was, at first," admitted Gengar, "Especially because he was dead-set on defending me. Of course, I already knew I was doomed and would stand no chance against the Blight's champion Mightyena and the Black Pendant. I stayed behind: one Pokémon giving his life so that hundreds of others might live. At any rate, I managed to convince him to stay out of sight and instead bear witness to my end and the destruction of Twilight. I ordered him to spread the story of the destruction of my city as well as myself; so that it might compel the free Pokémon of this land to fight back against the Blight with everything they had, knowing fully well how horrid the alternative was."

"I don't suppose you remember the name of my ancestor, do you?" asked a curious Gremlin.

"Oh, dear me… I should have told you that from the beginning," said Gengar the Great, somewhat embarrassed, "He was my highest-ranking guard and went by the name of Specter."

"I guess that explains why he refused to leave you behind," said Gremlin with a nod of his head, "He was fiercely loyal to you." Gengar the Great nodded his head once in reply.

"Indeed," said Gengar with agreement, "In fact, it was good to have him with me to carry out my last orders." A grin spread across the face of the ancient ghost Pokémon ruler.

"What are you smiling about?" asked Crystal with a gentle voice.

"Oh, I can't help but laugh at those stupid Blight Pokémon," cackled Gengar, "Despite ransacking the entire city for days; they never found any of my treasure or any of the city's famous artifacts. Well, Specter, the rest of the Order of Twining Shadows and I did spend a fair amount of time hiding every last bit of treasure and the most powerful of the artifacts that had been produced here in various places throughout the city. Other lesser relics of power were taken to a safe place by a small group of members of the Order of Twining Shadows who managed to escape Twilight well before the city was besieged."

"If you please, Gengar, I have a question," said Gremlin with a very respectful tone of voice.

"Feel free to ask, Gremlin," said Gengar cheerfully.

"How many members were there in the Order of Twining Shadows?" asked a curious Gremlin.

"There were over 2,000 members of this order in its heyday, which was not long before Twilight was conquered by the Blight," replied Gengar the Great, "I personally taught all of them how to use Ghost Forme to create various objects of power."

"Amazing!" said Gremlin with joy, "I didn't know there were so many in that ancient order! I always thought that my father, brother and I were the last descendants of the Order of Twining Shadows. Since ghost Pokémon do not die from old age, maybe some of them still live today or their lineage survives through their descendants." Gengar the Great closed his eyes, frowning as he bowed his head low with grief. Gremlin's feelings of immense happiness and hope were altogether dashed in but a moment.

"I'm so sorry, your highness," said a shaken Gremlin, taking a few nervous steps back from the Ghost Pokémon ruler, "I didn't mean to upset you. Did I say something wrong?"

"You have no idea…" said a saddened Gengar. Gremlin, Crystal and even K-1 were stunned as the holographic form of the once great Pokémon ruler began to weep bitterly.

"I can only estimate that you have bad news," said K-1 hesitantly and with a gentle voice, "Am I right?"

"I'm afraid you are correct, K-1," said Gengar with a heavy sigh as he turned his misty-eyed gaze upon the Sableye in his midst, "Gremlin, I hate to do this, but I do indeed have terrible news for you. The last time I met with the Gardevoir king and queen from Olympus, they gave me a revelation. The kind monarchs were very hesitant to tell me how, if certain events lined up as they had been foreseen, then Twilight would fall. Also, by the time I would be awakened by visitors to my own tomb thousands of years after my death, the Order of Twining Shadows will have almost vanished from the face of the Earth. Gremlin: you, your brother, mother and your father are the last of the Order of Twining Shadows." Gremlin was absolutely stunned at this news. He couldn't believe what he had just heard, even from the greatest ghost Pokémon who had ever lived. Somehow, Crystal had foreseen what was about to happen. She tenderly wrapped her arms around her mate in a tight embrace. Then, the loving Kirlia gently stroked Gremlin's back, hoping to console her grief-stricken husband as he began to cry out loudly in anguish.

"That can't be!" howled a sobbing Gremlin, "My aunts and uncles… my grand parents… cousins… I… I had wondered for years why I had not heard from them in decades, but… surely they can't all be dead!" Gengar the Great took a deep breath as his apparition floated down in front of the despairing Sableye. Gengar knelt down before Gremlin and spoke with a soft voice.

"I'm so sorry, Gremlin…" said Gengar with a heavy sigh, "I… I didn't mean to be so blunt, but I speak the truth. By now, they have all been discovered by the Blight and then murdered by Heavy Claw himself. They know, as I do, that any member of the Order of Twining Shadows is a great threat to them. Do you know why this is so?" Gremlin looked up at Gengar, tearing streaming down his face as he slowly swiveled his head bank and forth.

"Well, this is because the fate of Heavy Claw, as well as the Blight itself, is sealed so long as a descendant of the Order of Twining Shadows lives," replied Gengar, "I don't how, why, when or where, but you, your brother or your father will have a key role to play on the day Heavy Claw shall finally fall. With the death of that horrid Kabutops, the Blight will lose its last leader and any Pokémon left under his influence will be freed from their dark bondage by a member of the Olympus royal family. However, that is just the beginning." Gengar smiled in a friendly manner at Gremlin as the Sableye, his hope renewed, dried his eyes and soon regained his composure.

"What do you mean?" asked Gremlin.

"Once Heavy Claw is dead and the last bastions of the Blight finally defeated, the Order of Twining Shadows can finally be revived. Then, alongside the royal Gardevoir family of Olympus, the reborn Order of Twining Shadows shall finally face the great evil that has plagued this world for millions of years: the potent, vile spirit that currently has possession of the Black Pendant as well as an elderly male human. Sadly, my Gardevoir friends never foresaw who this man is, but he is a part of the family that would eventually found the first human settlement in the surrounding lands. The small village would be called Gardev: a name which would eventually become the name of the region of the world." Gremlin nodded his head with understanding.

"So… what does all of this have to do with me?" asked Gremlin, "What does this mean for my wife and K-1?"

"I need you to be strong, Gremlin," said Gengar, his voice filled with confidence, "For I hereby charge you with the responsibility of bringing back the Order of Twining Shadows." Once again, Gengar's words had struck Gremlin speechless.

"But… b-but… I-I… um…" stammered Gremlin. Gengar reached out with his left hand, gently placing it under the shocked Sableye's chin. Though the hologram could not physically interact with Gremlin, the Sableye still looked up and met Gengar the Great face to face.

"By no means do you have to do this alone," said Gengar in a reassuring manner, "Your father has taught you what you need to know to survive, while you have learned much on your own as well. You are a very powerful and a most capable leader, Gremlin." Gengar smiled as he turned his gentle gaze upon the pretty Kirlia at the Sableye's side.

"You also have a very lovely and loving wife to help you," remarked Gengar happily, "You could teach her how to use Ghost Forme to the same degree that you've already mastered, Gremlin."

"I guess you're right," said Gremlin, feeling a bit more confident, "But there is still so much I don't know. My father only knew so much about Ghost Forme: there has to be a lot more to learn. Heck! I don't even know how to read the written form of our own language! Besides you, your highness, there is no one else left on the face of the Earth who does."

"You are again correct, my friend," said Gengar the Great, "There are no living creatures in the world today who can read the written form of the ghost Pokémon. Indeed, there is also much you still have to learn about Ghost Forme. Even now, you really have only scratched the surface of this ancient art between the creation of your and Crystal's wedding rings, plus the exquisite pendant you helped craft for her. I'm not going to send you on a wild goose chase throughout the world either to collect the information you need. Instead, I have several gifts to present to all of you. Let's start with the library and my personal treasure trove." The sound of stone grinding against stone echoed throughout the tomb. A large section of the wall behind Gengar's ornate coffin slid back over 10 feet. The section of the wall then slowly slid to the left, revealing another room, but this much more voluminous than the tomb. There stood shelf after tall shelf of books on one side of the huge room. The other half was filled with piles of silver, gold and any precious stone Gremlin and his friends could imagine.

"Behold!" said Gengar the Great with pride, "My treasures."

"How could I have missed that?" shouted a dumbfounded K-1, "My sensors should have detected that room, so long as it was not deeper than 200 feet in the ground!"

"I took great pleasure in making that treasure chamber practically impossible to detect or enter. The front face of the wall was only an inch or two of marble, while the entire room itself is incased with several feet of a special metal alloy. This metal is virtually indestructible, but you also cannot teleport into the room or phase through the walls to gain entry. If I remember correctly, there is a room in the Olympus archives made of this same metal. I imagine you have all seen it by now. Anyway, as you may have guessed, the books beyond in my little hidden room are all about Ghost Forme," said Gengar matter-of-factly. K-1 may have been like a kid in a candy store with so many books to read through, but now Gremlin was hardly enthusiastic with having to revive the Order of Twining Shadows.

"There must be thousands… no! Tens of thousands of books in there! Do I really have to read all of them?" exclaimed Gremlin. Gengar laughed warmly to himself.

"Of course not!" laughed Gengar the great, "But I still need you to safeguard this library. While there are a mere 151 books all about Ghost Forme, the rest chronicle events during the tens of thousands of years that Twilight was in existence. Oh! And I am not kidding when I said those 151 books are all about Ghost Forme. In fact, they teach everything there is to know about Ghost Forme, save for the few 'Forbidden' arts, like the ones I used to create my soul-trapping crystal. At any rate, I expect you and Crystal to make full use of these resources to fully revive the Order of Twining Shadows. I know you will both work very hard and together to achieve this goal."

"I don't mean to be rude, your highness," said K-1 hesitantly, "But what of these treasure chests in your tomb?"

"Ah! I almost forgot!" said Gengar, his face red with embarrassment, "I have some special gifts for each of you. K-1: the largest book near the entrance of the treasure room. This will give you a perfect translation of the written form of the ghost Pokémon language, using the written form of Gardevoir as a guide. I suggest you go and read that book at once. You are going to need to that information very soon."

"Splendid!" said K-1 with glee, glancing over towards Gremlin and Crystal, "If you need me, I'll be busy scouring Gengar's generously-provided library for now!" The ecstatic robot made a mad dash into the vast archives of Twilight while Gengar returned his attention to Gremlin and Crystal.

"I have something much more special for each of you," said Gengar happily, "To start off: Crystal? Please approach the treasure chest on your left. What lies inside is meant only for you, my dear." The beautiful young Kirlia stood up, pausing only for a moment to gently shake her skirt and petticoats with her hands to even them back out. Crystal smiled and giggled with anticipation as she approached the sparkling treasure chest. Once the excited Kirlia was within three feet of the glistening container, the lock suddenly disengaged. A soft "Click!" from the locking mechanism broke the relative silence in the room.

"Hey…" said Crystal, looking up at Gengar the Great with a confused look on her face, "How come I couldn't open the chest before? It was locked tight."

"That's because you had not yet activated my crystal," replied Gengar matter-of-factly while chuckling warmly to himself, "Now, I hope you enjoy my little present for you." Just when Gengar the Great finished his statement, the lid of the treasure chest suddenly flew open, revealing a soft, deep purple interior in the fancy, golden container. Crystal stepped forward and looked into the chest.

"Ooh! What have we here?" said Crystal with glee, bending over slightly and reaching into the treasure chest with both hands. Her hands latched onto a pile of soft, silver fabric at the bottom of the chest. With a quick motion, Crystal pulled the fabric from its container and quickly discovered what appeared to be a cloak with a hood. The silvery fabric shone brightly with many colors in the brightly-lit room.

"This cloak is meant to protect you, Crystal," explained Gengar, "Please, put it on and you will see just how it will accomplish this." Crystal nodded her head and reached up to her head with both hands, gently pulling her tiara and flowing veil from her hair and off the Kirlia's back. She wasted no time in putting on the lovely cloak. A sparkling silver clasp helped secure the garment around Crystal's neck.

"Very good," said a cheerful Gengar, "Now, please put on the hood." Again, Crystal nodded her head in reply. Gremlin looked on upon his wife, wondering what would happen the moment the Kirlia's head was covering by the silvery hood of the cloak. No sooner had Crystal put on the hood when she suddenly disappeared from Gremlin's sight. The Sableye was awestruck at this sight and was also now very worried.

"Huh?" exclaimed Gremlin with disbelief, "Crystal? Where did you go! I can't see you!"

"I'm right here, silly," said Crystal, giggling with glee. She looked down at herself, wearing the silver cloak and her sparkling wedding dress.

"The cloak serves two purposes, Crystal," said Gengar, "First, the fabric is very tough and will offer a good deal of protection to your body. Also, this cloak will make you completely invisible whenever you put its hood over your head." Crystal removed the silver hood: immediately, she reappeared, standing not far from the now-empty treasure chest.

"I know you will not misuse this treasure, Crystal," said Gengar confidently, "You may be powerful, but you could never face so much as one member of the Blight on your own. Hopefully, this cloak will help protect you as well as keep you hidden from those mindless murderers."

"I promise I won't do anything bad with this cloak," said Crystal firmly as a smile spread across her face, "I think it will look very good with my ball gown and ballet attire."

"I would imagine so!" said Gengar happily and with warm laughter, "You Gardevoirs and Kirlias always did have a good fashion sense. Just make sure you don't lose it. Even when Gremlin does master Ghost Forme, trying to remake this cloak would be extremely difficult."

"I understand," said Crystal, nodding her head once towards Gengar the Great. The ghost Pokémon smiled at the young Kirlia in a friendly manner, knowing fully well that he could trust Crystal. Gengar then turned his attention upon Gremlin.

"Now then, I have a few gifts for you, Gremlin," said Gengar with a firm, yet cheerful voice, "You will need to not only protect yourself, but you must give your all in order to keep your loving mate and your household safe. The artifacts I shall now bestow upon you shall help." A soft "Click!" emanated from the closed treasure chest on the right. The lid quickly lifted open on its own, revealing a soft, red and felt-like interior. Gremlin stood up: the Sableye taking a brief moment to also even out the petticoats under his wedding dress.

"I think its safe to say my gifts for you will be a lot less unwieldy than the traditional wedding attire of the Gardevoirs," said Gengar, laughing under his breath.

"No kidding!" laughed Gremlin boldly on approach to the open treasure chest. He stopped in his tracks and peered into the fancy container. To his shock, he saw what appeared to be an ornate sword, resting on top of a set of full plate armor. The objects in the chest were made of some kind of black metal, which had various Ghost Forme symbols etched all over. The armor and sword had a shiny, well-polished look to them.

"Now, please touch the armor," asked Gengar. Gremlin nodded his head and reached into the chest, touching the cool metal with his right hand. The moment his finger made contact with the armor, the entire ensemble: body armor and the accompanying sword, vanished into thin air.

"What in the world? Is this some sort of joke, sire? Where did that armor and sword go?" demanded Gremlin. Gengar the Great erupted into gales of laughter.

"Do you honestly think I've been waiting down here for the last two millennia just to play a prank on you?" laughed Gengar so hard his holographic form's face was beginning to turn red.

"I guess not," said Gremlin with a heavy sigh, shrugging his shoulders, "Still, what just happened?"

"Why, my Ghost Forme armor has bonded with you, of course!" said Gengar with delight, "All you have to do is summon it. No matter where you are, the plate armor and sword will always be at the ready, prepared to help you in combat. Believe me, my boy; you are going to need these artifacts in the future."

"I don't doubt you," said Gremlin, "But how exactly do I summon that armor? Magic words? Some kind of dance? Do I have to belch the English alphabet in reverse?" Gengar laughed, once again.

"I do admire your sense of humor!" said Gengar, "I haven't enjoyed company this much in over 2,000 years!"

"But you were asleep that whole time in that black crystal," said Gremlin with a frown.

"Oh, yeah…" chuckled Gengar nervously, "I guess that is a rather inaccurate statement… Anyway, back to your armor. All you have to do is imagine yourself wearing it." Just then, a bright flash lit up the immediate area for a moment. The intense illumination faded as quickly as it had come. Gremlin was standing before Gengar the Great, still in his wedding attire. However, his arms were in the legs of the metallic pants of the armor, plus the upper half was wrapped around Gremlin's face. All while the confused and not very amused Sableye's left foot was now stuck in the helmet. Gengar slapped himself in the face with both of his hands out of frustration.

"You have to picture yourself wearing the armor correctly!" thundered Gengar the Great angrily, "Do so, and any attire you are currently wearing will land behind you, switched out in an instant by the armor suit and sword!"

"Oh…" said Gremlin sheepishly with his face colored a bright hue of red out of immense embarrassment. Crystal couldn't help but laugh at her ridiculous-looking mate.

"I don't think you stand much of a chance at protecting me while looking like that!" giggled Crystal.

"Maybe my foes will simply laugh themselves to death?" cackled Gremlin. Gengar's anger and frustration abated quickly. Despite being annoyed, he was still amused by Gremlin's way with words.

"How about you give that armor another try?" suggested Gengar patiently, "But this time: concentrate." Gremlin, nodding his head in agreement, was quite ready to be free of this rather embarrassing situation. Another intense flash of light lit up the elaborate tomb. But this time, when the light faded, Gremlin was now standing proudly, looking much like a miniature knight from a medieval era. The armor suit was covered with ornate, decorative patterns. Gremlin reached up, lowered his faceplate and drew the decorated sword from its elaborate back-mount. There were two things that seemed odd about this set of plate armor. First, the armor did not seem to restrict his movement. Second, the metallic garment and its accompanying weapon felt like they weighted absolutely nothing. Gremlin dashed about the room, leaping about and pulling off other acrobatic feats, amazed that the decorative plate armor made no sound whatsoever, despite plates rubbing against each other. In fact, the chainmail between the armor's joints didn't so much as let out a slight jingle with Gremlin's movements. As for Gremlin's wedding dress, in now lay on the ground, a pile of shimmering satin and fluffy tulle behind where the Sableye had been standing before taking a little test run in his new armor.

"Behold!" said Gengar with triumph, "The Shadow Armor and the sword I call the 'Soul Cleaver'. In darkness, your armor will make you completely invisible. That way, you will not have to rely solely on your own power in order to hide. Also, since it never makes any noise from your movements, you can easily sneak about in it. As for the blade, the Soul Cleaver, this enchanted sword can cut through just about anything, even the strongest metals on earth. The armor and sword are made from alchemically-treated metal and are practically indestructible. The Ghost Forme symbols, etched all over the armor and blade, dictate that these objects will bound permanently with the first creature who touches it. I completed the carvings of these runes right after laying these artifacts into the treasure chest before you, Gremlin. You will need these relics to protect you and Crystal in the years ahead as you rebuild the Order of Twining Shadows." Gremlin stepped up to Gengar's hologram, lifting the faceplate back up so he could see the ghost ruler face to face.

"Why didn't you make an armor set like this for yourself?" asked Gremlin, frowning at Gengar the Great, "You would have easily survived the fight against Heavy Claw and his hordes."

"That is not so, Gremlin," said Gengar sternly, "Even with artifacts of power like yours, I would have still fallen to the power of the Black Pendant. Remember: I gave my life so many others would escape from Twilight and live on. I also would have never had enough materials or the time to make a suitable army that would have successfully defended Twilight. Even if I had every last member of the Order of Twining Shadows spend all their time on such a project. I have accepted my fate as well as the fate of Twilight. I leave it up to you, Gremlin, son of Asmodeus, to revive the Order of Twining Shadows. You must play your part in the future to defeat the leader of the Blight. Only then, can you, Crystal, the royal family of Olympus and the Order of Twining Shadows finally confront the great evil that has plagued our world for many thousands of years."

"Shadow Mack…" said Gremlin with disgust.

"So… that is what that malignant spirit is called…" said Gengar with a snarl, "Gremlin, Crystal: I reiterate. I charge you with the revival of the Order of Twining Shadows. Between the artifacts I have bestowed upon both of you and my vast library, you will have the tools you need for the future."

"I'll do as you command," said Gremlin with confidence, getting down on one knee before the once-great ghost Pokémon ruler.

"As will I," said a very determined Crystal, kneeling next to her mate on his left side.

"I know you will not fail me. I'm sure of it," said Gengar contently, "Please: arise, my friends. Gremlin, I suggest you return to your wedding attire for the time being. I am well aware of the attributes of Gardevoir satin. The garment has to finish bonding with you. Simply imagine yourself back in your clothes and they shall return to you. As for the armor, it shall teleport to wherever you desire. Perhaps your home in Olympus would be a safe place for it?" The Sableye nodded his head as he and Crystal stood back up. With yet another bright and momentary flash of light, Gremlin was now standing before Gengar the Great in his shimmering and sparkling wedding attire. The Sableye looked up at Gengar with a worried look on his face.

"You don't think I look strange in this wedding dress, do you?" asked a worried Gremlin with great hesitation. Gengar the Great eyed Gremlin closely.

"You may look unusual," remarked Gengar, "However, I must admire you for adhering to the customs of another race. Besides, I can clearly see that you put your own personal touch in the design of your dress. The black, diamond-tipped bramble embroidery on white shimmering fabric is rather inventive."

"Plus he looks really cute in it," giggled Crystal.

"I would suspect nothing less from a devoted female Kirlia," said Gengar with a chuckle, "Just so you know, Gremlin, you can summon only the sword when you don't need or want the full armor with you as well. In fact, I would recommend that you refrain from using the armor until the day you actually confront the Blight. Otherwise, you will easily draw too much attention to yourself, something which should be avoided for now."

"Agreed," said Gremlin, "Then I'll just rely on the sword for now, but only if I really need it."

"Very good," said a cheerful Gengar the Great, "Using restraint, despite your powers and abilities, will serve you well."

"Gengar?" asked Crystal, "What should we do next?"

"You should gather up the library and treasures here," said Gengar, "I'm fairly sure you will have a way to transport all these objects back to your home in Olympus."

"That's right!" said Gremlin with renewed enthusiasm, "We have the S-5 Heavy Carrier and a few dozen robots to help us!"

"S-5 Heavy Carrier?" asked Gengar the great with immense bewilderment, "And what on earth is a 'Robot'?"

"Maybe…" said Gremlin hesitantly, "Maybe those questions would be left best unanswered. It could easily take hours to explain what those things are and what they do."

"Hours…" said Gengar with despair, "Time is one thing I have very little left of. My crystal will lose complete power in little more than an hour. We'd best get to work transferring my treasures at once. We certainly don't want any humans coming down here." Gremlin and Crystal froze with expressions of shock on their faces. Gengar was now more worried than he could ever remember in his entire life: even more so than when his city, Twilight, was besieged by the Blight.

"Don't tell me…" said Gengar with a heavy sigh, "Humans have already found this place haven't they?"

"I'm afraid the situation is much more dire than you think," said K-1, walking back into the main tomb from the library.

"What do you mean, K-1?" demanded Gremlin.

"Remember those piles of newspapers in front of the Alakaz Dance Hall?" replied K-1, "I read through every last one of them. Apparently, a group of researchers stumbled across this city by accident not long ago. To make matters worse, they absconded with several artifacts from Twilight, which are now on display at a few of the largest museums in Alakaz. These objects are only going to be on display for a few more weeks before more scientists will be called in to study them."

"That cannot happen!" said Gengar the Great, immense fear abounding in his voice, "Those Ghost Forme creations are not meant to be in the hands of humans! I have little doubt they would misuse them as terrible weapons of war or as tools of subjugation. Maybe some of my artifacts of power are still safe in the confines of the city? K-1! Did you see a folded up map in the library? It would have been between two pages of the book which gives a direct translation between the written forms of Ghost and Gardevoir."

"Yes," replied K-1, "I already have the map recorded in my databanks. I believe it has several places marked throughout all of Twilight. Is this where we will find more artifacts?" Gengar the Great nodded his head.

"You are correct," said Gengar, "Please check out all those locations as soon as possible. Hopefully, some of those relics remain undiscovered by the humans."

"Sure is a bit late for a scavenger hunt, huh?" said Crystal.

"I would say so as well," said Gremlin, "Are you getting tired, my love?" Crystal looked over at her mate.

"Now that I think about it… for some reason… I don't feel tired at all," replied the astonished Kirlia.

"Your cloak has one other ability," said a smiling Gengar, whose smile soon became a more serious expression as he now spoke with a stern tone of voice, "You will not become tired so long as you wear it. However, you must be careful not to overuse this attribute. You still must sleep; otherwise, you will eventually lose your sanity and die."

"I… I understand!" said a worried Crystal.

"You will be fine, for now," said Gengar reassuringly, "Just make sure you get some rest in the next few days and you will be fine. Besides, you will need to wear you tiara and veil as the material that makes up the lace is more Gardevoir satin."

"I guess we better get started on this little venture," suggested K-1, "And we'd better move fast."

"Have G6 guide you through Twilight," said Gengar, "As for me, I shall wait here in my crystal for your return in this tomb. Don't linger and please return soon."

"Not a problem! We'll be back soon. I promise," said Gremlin with determination as the hologram of the great ghost Pokémon monarch vanished into thin air.


	11. Section 11

**-145-**

Gregory Allens, the leader of Team Shadow, was once again alone in his darkened throne room. He paused, hearing some kind of motion coming from the ceiling above, completely obscured by the dark shadows in the room.

"Ah," said Gregory happily, "I have been waiting for you, old friend." A dark shape dropped from the ceiling, landing ten feet in front of the smiling human. Needless to say, Gregory was not the least bit surprised to see a Kabutops standing in his midst.

"Why have you summoned me, Great One?" asked the Kabutops with a gruff voice as he knelt before Gregory. The ancient Pokémon's right claw was misshapen with several long points and serrated edges: a truly horrific-looking weapon.

"I am merely curious about your progress, Shatter Claw," said Gregory with a sinister smile, "You never cease to amaze me, my friend. I have, undoubtedly, the best security in the entire world, save for my nemesis. Despite this, you still manage to drop in for a visit now and then completely unnoticed."

"I am not here for your amusement, Great One," growled Shatter Claw with anger, "What is it you desire from me?" Gregory stood up and fearlessly approached the kneeling Kabutops.

"I trust you are following your orders," said Gregory confidently, "How much longer until you and your forces will be ready to attack the Gardevoir city of Olympus?"

"It may take months or even years to gather up my army," replied Shatter Claw with a heavy sigh and a snarl, "The remnants of the Blight are scattered all over the face of the earth."

"Nonetheless, I know you will do what has to be done," said Gregory, "You have never failed me before. Except…" Shatter Claw looked up at Gregory with a sneer on his face.

"Except for the final battle of the Great Pokémon Wars," said Gregory with bluntly. In an instant Shatter Claw was thrown into a deep, horrible rage.

"How dare you!" howled Shatter Claw, "If you had given me the Black Pendant as I had requested, instead of to that feeble Mightyena, I would have crushed everything in my path! I would have severed the head of the so-called Kirlia king, after slaughtering his entire family on the battlefield millennia ago! Instead, you chose another over me! ME! …The single most powerful Pokémon in the entire world!"

"Your pride, arrogance and anger are as great as ever," snapped Gregory, "That is why I gave the Black Pendant to the Mightyena. You would have gone on a rampage: destroying anyone and everything in your path without hesitation! What good is conquering the world if there are no subjects to enslave? You would have failed me and then I would have had to personally put you down like the animal you are." Shatter Claw roared with indignation and hopped to his feet. Gregory moved not a muscle as the enraged Kabutops brandished his claws and charged towards him. The old man merely smiled as his eyes began to glow with an eerie, red light. Shatter Claw froze in his tracks, wide-eyed with shock as he could no longer move as a black aura surrounded his body. Gregory stepped up to Shatter Claw, a vile grin on his face as he met the angered Kabutops face to face.

"Once again, you prove me right," said Gregory, "I have been planning my final vengeance against Dr. Mack Foxx for tens of thousands of years. You only care about where your next fight will be and when you next meal will come. This is how you have lived for millions of years: an animal. A mindless animal… only under my guidance have you become so much more and you dare to defy me? Perhaps you need a reminder of how weak you truly are!" Shatter Claw howled with agony as he felt his head, arms and legs getting pulled at away from his torso with immense force. A horrible cracking sound filled the room as the old Kabutops's joints began to break.

"Are you really no better than your hateful brother, Simon?" thundered Gregory with hot anger, "He betrayed all of us thousands of years ago to the Olympus Royal Family! Now you dare to do the same to me in my own chambers?" Gregory released his dark grip on Shatter Claw: the Kabutops dropped to the floor in immeasurable agony. Shatter Claw looked up at Gregory, a spiteful expression plastered on his face.

"Never…" snarled Heavy Claw, "Never compare me to the Hunted One… I'd sooner try to kill you than let you say such things!" Gregory looked down upon Shatter Claw with pity.

"Then I suggest you prove otherwise," warned Gregory, "You are far from expendable and the only one I know who could face the Guardians of Gardev head on. I know you won't fail me, but don't you ever forget your place."

"I'm not your footstool…" grumbled Shatter Claw.

"That is true," said Gregory, "You continue to serve me well, show no more outbursts of anger and YOU will claim the spoils of Olympus. The treasure, its people: they will be yours to toy with. Then there are the other Gardevoir settlements… I will allow you to conquer all of them with your army and everything and everyone in those cities will be yours." Shatter Claw gasped as he felt his pain beginning to fade.

"What…?" said Shatter Claw with disbelief, "What are you doing to me?" Gregory smiled at the Kabutops.

"Why, I'm healing your wounds," replied Gregory in a cheerful manner, "You are no help to me or yourself as a cripple. Your orders are to continue preparations for an attack on Olympus. After all, there is one other matter you should know…"

"And what would that be?" demanded Shatter Claw.

"I have seen the future…" said Gregory, "When you attack Olympus, you shall get an opportunity: one you have desperately wanted for many, many years…" Shatter Claw looked up at Gregory with his eyes opened wide.

"You mean I will get to fight the Hunted One? My horrid brother at long last?" asked a surprised Shatter Claw.

"Yes," was Gregory's reply, "You will have your final confrontation with Simon and only one of you will walk away victorious." For the first time during this meeting with Gregory, Shatter Claw smiled.

"That will be a day to remember," said Shatter Claw with glee.

"Indeed it shall," said Gregory, "Now. You must be off. I'm about to meet with some of my high-level officers and you can't be seen with me. I shall await news of your victory."

"And that is the news you will receive," said Shatter Claw, standing tall and proud before Gregory, "Until we meet again: farewell and good luck to you, Great One."

"I don't need luck," said Gregory with a friendly smile, "And neither will you." The Kabutops nodded his head and with a great leap jumped up towards the darkened ceiling. Gregory didn't hear a sound as Shatter Claw grabbed onto the ceiling, quickly and quietly making his undetectable exit. Gregory sat back down in his throne. Soon, he would be meeting with Cyan Drake, his highest-ranking general and Grand Commander Argus, the most capable officer in Team Shadow, second only to Cyan. Gregory couldn't help but laugh to himself.

"It has taken far longer than I imagined to finally claim the artifacts of Twilight," thought Gregory with sheer delight, "If only that fool Shatter Claw had not sunk the city of eternal dusk into the desert, all of Gengar the Great's treasures would have been mine ages ago. Well, no matter. Argus's plan to stage a fake robbery at the museums of Alakaz is foolproof. I can only imagine what wonders will be discovered and the kinds of instruments of destruction I can craft from them." Gregory paused as pain suddenly shot down his left arm. More agony erupted from his chest.

"A heart attack…" grumbled Gregory to himself, "Great… I'm going to need to find a new vessel for the Great One's spirit sooner than I thought…" Gregory slammed his right fist down on a control panel on his throne. An alarm sounded in the throne room as Gregory fell to the floor with exhaustion.

"No need to worry, my friend…" said a voice a Gregory's mind, "You will survive this. We have several more years together. I shall not leave you until well after your 115th birthday. Only then will your body be completely unsuitable."

"That's another 10 years… most marvelous Shadow Mack…" said Gregory to himself, "I only wish I would live long enough to see your goals fulfilled…"

"You have served me well and will be rewarded," said Shadow Mack from in the old man's mind, "I promise…" Gregory took deep breaths as several soldiers rushed into the throne room.

"Sire!" said one of the soldiers in black armor, reminiscent of the style once worn by the agents of Cipher, "Is something wrong? Are you okay?"

"Get… get me to the… medical ward… on the double…" wheezed Gregory, clutching his chest with his right hand, "Heart… attack…" The two soldiers sprang into action, more than ready to give aid to their great leader. As Gregory's vision began to cloud over with darkness, the old man again heard Shadow Mack speaking within the realm of his mind.

"Enjoy your days while you can, Mack," said Shadow Mack, brimming with confidence, "Your end is coming… sooner than you can possibly imagine…"

**-146-**

G6 was startled when Gengar's tomb suddenly opened back up.

"Oh?" said G6, somewhat surprised to see Gremlin, Crystal and K-1 emerge from Gengar the Great's tomb sooner than he'd expected, "Have you actually finished your meeting with Gengar the Great already? I figured he would spend the next hour speaking with you, not a mere twenty minutes…"

"We have an important task to take care of," reported K-1, "We need to scour all of Twilight in order to recover several artifacts of power, which were hidden throughout the city."

"I see," said G6 with a nod of his smooth, spherical head, "I hope you know where to go as Gengar the Great never revealed such information to me."

"K-1 has a complete map of Twilight in his memory," said a determined Gremlin, "Care to join us on our search?"

"We would like your company," said Crystal with a smile.

"As you wish, milady," said G6. Thus, the two Pokémon, one robot and a single golem began their scavenger hunt across all of Twilight. Gremlin was very confident that, though humans had tried to break into the late ghost Pokémon ruler's tomb, the Ghost Forme artifacts would still lie undisturbed in their hiding places. However, hour after of hour of searching led to one disappointment after another. Despite a wide variety of strange and well-thought out hiding places, not one of the 42 artifacts could be found.

"Get a load of this," grumbled an annoyed K-1, kicking aside a marble brick, which had been torn out of a nearby wall and left in the street. The brick had once covered up a small, hollowed-out area in the white marble wall.

"We're getting nowhere!" shouted Gremlin out of frustration, "I don't know how long we've spent trying to recover those relics and so far, we have yet to find even one of them!"

"So far, we have spent the last 5 hours, 37 minutes and 49 seconds on our mission," said K-1 with a sigh, "At least we've visited each of the marked places on my map of Twilight."

"Nonetheless, this does not bode well," said a now greatly concerned G6, "This can only mean that all the artifacts have indeed fallen into human hands. The consequences of this turn of events could prove most disastrous."

"But how could humans have gotten down here?" asked Crystal, "I don't remember seeing a mine shaft or anything down here."

"I think that is because we have not yet explored the areas around the city walls," said K-1, turning his blue-eyed gaze upon G6, "How many entry points were there into Twilight?"

"Four in all," answered G6 matter-of-factly.

"That brings up another question," said Gremlin, turning about to face the hulking golem, "G6: how come you didn't try and stop the artifacts from being taken in the first place?"

"I was not aware any artifacts had been stolen," replied G6 somberly, "My orders were only to guard Gengar the Great's tomb and await your arrival. I was never told anything about relics being hidden throughout the city. Even if I did know about this, my only recourse would have been to attack the intruders. Needless to say, this would have probably only drawn more unwanted attention to the ruins of Twilight."

"With a city as big as this, it would indeed be quite easy to overlook something," said an understanding K-1.

"I can believe that," said Crystal with disappointment.

"Well, we now know the artifacts have all been taken and there were repeated attempts to break into his highness's tomb, so now we must figure out how the humans got down here in the first place. Perhaps we should check out the other entrances in the city walls?" suggested G6.

"There's an entryway not far from here," said K-1, accessing the map of Twilight from his databanks in an instant, "May as well start with the closest city gate, eh?" Gremlin, Crystal and G6 were in full agreement and followed after K-1, the feline-like robot leading the way. Up head, the small group of explorers saw the first city gate. The thick, wooden and massive doors had rotted away ages ago, leaving behind only their huge, rusted metal hinges. Just beyond the gate, K-1 detected a rather deep and freshly-excavated tunnel.

"What have we here?" asked G6 with curiosity, "This tunnel was not here the last time I patrolled this area."

"How long ago was that?" asked Crystal.

"It's been at least few centuries…" admitted G6 with no lack of embarrassment in his voice, "I figured no one would ever find a way into Twilight, with the exception of you and your companions, Crystal. I'm surprised I didn't notice any of this until I saw the humans on approach to Gengar the Great's tomb." K-1 had walked into the tunnel beyond the city gateway. The tunnel was supported with steel columns, spaced out at 3-foot intervals with a railroad, clearly meant for mine carts, leading onward into the darkness at the end of the long underground passageway. The shaft itself was twenty feet wide with a fifteen-foot expanse between the floor and ceiling. K-1 was utterly amazed at the excavation.

"Looks like whoever came down here took great care to avoid any collapses in this tunnel," remarked K-1. The robot soon caught sight of what appeared to be an electric generator further down the mine shaft. G6 called after K-1.

"Do you think this tunnel has been here long?" asked G6, shouting down the stony mine shaft.

"No," was K-1's blunt reply as he turned on the generator. In an instant, bright halogen lights, mounted on every single support column, illuminated the entire tunnel from one end all the way to the opposite side. Gremlin, Crystal and G6 was all stunned at just how far the tunnel went off into the distance. K-1 quickly got some data from his rangefinder.

"Total tunnel length: 897 meters," reported K-1, his metallic voice echoing down the mine shaft. Gremlin was clearly shaken.

"Someone knew…" said Gremlin with dread, "Someone must have known that Twilight was down here… but who…?"

"I see a freight elevator up ahead," said K-1, roughly 100 feet away from his companions, "I have no doubts: someone planned this excursion very well, indeed." K-1 continued walking down the long, brightly-lit tunnel with Gremlin, Crystal and G6 following close behind the robot after catching up with him. Once at the other end of the shaft, K-1 quickly analyzed the freight elevator. His finely-tuned instruments, sensors and powerful processors gave K-1 an analysis in less than a second.

"Total capacity: 50 tons," was K-1's report. The mine cart tracks led into the elevator and some were even permanently welded onto the elevator's steel floor.

"50 tons?" said an amazed Crystal, "That is some very powerful machinery. Still, why would humans need equipment like this?"

"I think the humans were planning on making off with not just the relics of Twilight, but they expected to find an immense treasure trove of other artifacts," suggested Gremlin.

"I suspect they found little down here besides the Ghost Forme objects of power," said G6, "I only saw a few small groups of humans down here. I managed to stay out of sight and observed them while they combed the city. One group of five carried the explosives which had been used to try and break in Gengar the Great's tomb. Ten other groups of five humans walked up and down the streets; pointing these strange objects at everything they walked by. They called those odd machines 'Scanners'."

"Is that so?" asked an intrigued K-1, "They must have been looking for specific energy signatures amongst the ruins. Am I correct in assuming that Ghost Forme objects give off a unique type of energy?"

"I… think so," said G6, not quite understanding K-1's statements, "I can't say for certain, though. My vision is only meant for operating in darkness and bright light. Even if those artifacts of power were giving off some kind of aura, I would not have been able to tell." K-1 pressed a red button on the right side of the elevator's doorway. The doors opened with a loud, metallic grinding sound as metal grated against metal.

"Ow! My ears!" exclaimed Crystal, covering the sides of her head with her hands. Even Gremlin had been momentarily stunned from the sudden and very loud noise from the elevator's doors.

"Sorry about that…" said an embarrassed K-1, "I didn't think the doors would be so loud…" K-1 stepped into the elevator and extended a robotic arm from his chest panel for a moment, motioning for his friends to enter the elevator.

"All aboard!" said K-1 with a slight bow towards his friends. With that, the Sableye, Kirlia and golem quickly climbed into the elevator. Gremlin and Crystal reflexively covered their ears as the doors again closed with an immense amount of noise.

"You sure this thing is safe, K-1?" asked a worried Gremlin.

"Solid as a rock," said K-1, pressing a few buttons on a control panel in front of him, "Please hold on." The elevator jerked up for but a moment and began to pick up speed as it ascended up its rocky shaft. After five minutes, the elevator began to slow in its progress and soon came to a complete stop. The steel doors opened once again with the sound of grinding metal. Much to Gremlin and Crystal's amazement, they were now back at the earth's surface. The sun was beginning to rise over the mountainous horizon towards the east. As for G6, he was absolutely mesmerized, having never seen the sun before. While Gremlin, Crystal and G6 were happy to be back above ground, K-1 was becoming more and more concerned. Except for the small building which contained the top of the elevator shaft, there were no other traces of any equipment or personnel. The only clues that anyone or anything had once been here were tracks in a thin layer of desert sand that had covered the rocky surface around the mining elevator for several yards in each direction. Several sets of what looked like tank treads and tire tracks led off into the towering sand dunes of the Gardev Desert, off towards the bustling city of Alakaz.

"I wonder if Gengar the Great will allow me to dwell up here. It sure has been lonely down there, spending the last several centuries down in Twilight," said G6, thinking out loud.

"A good question, but I believe we have other matters to attend to," said K-1 with a serious tone of voice.

"Agreed!" said Gremlin, "I think we better start getting Gengar's treasure trove and library packed up at once."

"Maybe we shouldn't be so hasty," suggested Crystal, "What if the humans come back here?"

"I imagine they could return at some point, but judging by the lack of any equipment or shelter in this area, I suspect they will not come back to this site anytime soon," said K-1 confidently, "Granted, I do find it odd that the freight elevator is still here and completely operational."

"K-1, how long will it take the S-5 to get here?" asked Gremlin.

"It will only take a matter of minutes to have the R-25's pack everything up at the dance hall and then meet us here," was K-1's quick reply, "Undetected, too."

"Please call them and have them get here at once," asked Gremlin, "It could take hours, even for a few dozen robots to load and secure everything in the heavy carrier."

"I just sent the message," said K-1, "They shall arrive shortly." G6 looked down upon Gremlin and Crystal.

"This may be much to ask of you," said G6 hesitantly and nervously, "But would it be too much trouble to take me with you if Gengar the Great gives me permission to leave? I would have nowhere else to go and I can't bear the idea of staying in Twilight on my own until the end of time."

"I don't think Gengar would force you to stay," said Crystal cheerfully, "What do you think, dear? Can G6 come with us if it's okay?" Gremlin smiled, turning his gaze upon his lovely wife and then fixed his eyes on the hulking golem.

"We'll be happy to take you with us," said Gremlin, smiling at G6 in a friendly manner.

"Oh, yes!" said an overjoyed G6, his eye glowing with an intense blue light, "Thank you, thank you, thank you! You won't regret it! I promise you!" Crystal giggled happily.

"At any rate, I think we should return to Twilight and speak with Gengar," said K-1 sternly, "He must know what has happened to his city and about the artifacts." Again, Gremlin, Crystal and G6 were in agreement with K-1. They waited at the surface for the _Titan_ to arrive. Soon, the Sableye, Kirlia, Golem, K-1 and 24 R-25 robots were in the freight elevator and on their way back into Twilight. Little time passed before Gremlin and his friends had arrived back at Gengar the Great's tomb. Crystal looked over her shoulder as she, Gremlin and K-1 started on their way into the elaborate memorial.

"Aren't you coming with us, G6?" asked Crystal softly.

"I don't know…" said G6 with fear and dread, "What if… what if Gengar orders me to stay here?"

"If he does, it will have to be for a good reason," said K-1, "I don't mean to be harsh, but you could draw unwanted attention to Gremlin and Crystal. Even in all my years, I have only seen a handful of golems like you, G6."

"I understand…" said G6 with sadness, bowing his head low.

"Nonetheless, you should at least ask him," said K-1, "You won't know for certain until you do." G6 nodded his head and followed closely behind his new friends with the small army of R-25s in tow. Gengar was smiling happily, watching the small army of human-like, metallic constructs as they carried away his treasures in a neat and orderly procession. Crystal only left Gremlin's side to put her tiara and flowing lace veil back on over her cloak. The ghost monarch returned his attention to Gremlin and his comrades.

"I hope you have good news for me," said Gengar the Great with a sigh, "Were you able to find my Ghost Forme artifacts?" K-1 hesitated at first, but quickly realized that Gengar would have to hear the truth.

"It would appear several humans managed to find your city. Not only that, but they managed to locate all the artifacts which you and your followers had painstakingly hidden throughout Twilight," said K-1 somberly. Gengar the Great frowned with a look of shock on his face. He bowed his head and wept bitterly.

"Then all is lost…" cried Gengar, "I can only assume dark forces are at work here…"

"There is good news, sire," said K-1, hoping he could renew Gengar's hope and determination, "I know where all the artifacts are located. They are currently on display at a few museums in the city of Alakaz, not far from here."

"I see," said Gengar, "What do you intend to do, then?"

"Obviously, we're going to have to break into those museums and retake the artifacts," said Gremlin with great resolve.

"Dear! Isn't that against the laws of the land?" said a surprised Crystal to her mate, "Grand theft? Breaking and entering? All members of my species are to abide by the laws of man, as ordered by our king!"

"Crystal, please…" said Gengar with a gentle, reassuring voice as his holographic figured drifted towards the vexed Kirlia, "I think you can agree you have a major exception here. If you do not recover those artifacts, which you may have to do by force, there is no telling what could happen if they fall into the wrong hands. Those relics were never intended to fall into the hands of man. You know as well as I that man is easily corrupted: humans could do unspeakable things with those Ghost Forme artifacts. My dear, be brave as you have no choice. My relics must be recovered at any cost!"

"I would agree," said K-1, "We really don't have a choice. But if we're careful, no one will know about our venture until it's too late and no one will have to get hurt."

"Most noble of you," said Gengar with an appreciative nod, "Yes. I would prefer that you undertake this task with the notion of doing it with great caution and care." Gengar looked over at G6, sensing that something was troubling his creation.

"And what about you, G6?" asked Gengar, "What do you intend to do?" G6 paused for several moments, gathering up his courage to speak to his creator.

"Gengar the Great," said G6 with utmost respect, "I have fulfilled your commands. I think there is little reason for me to dwell here in Twilight, therefore…"

"…I believe it would be best for you to accompany Gremlin and Crystal to Olympus. I know you will serve them well," interrupted Gengar with a friendly smile, "You have protected my tomb for thousands of years: just like what I expect of you concerning Gremlin and Crystal." G6 was absolutely stunned at what he heard. The golem, despite being built with perfect precision, still could not believe what Gengar the Great had just said to him.

"You… you mean it?" asked G6 with astonishment.

"I do," replied Gengar happily, "I wouldn't want you to spend the rest of your days down here in Twilight. This city's days are over and soon… so will mine… at long last…" Crystal looked over at K-1 and spoke to him.

"How much longer until the R-25s are finished?" asked the newlywed Kirlia with a gentle voice.

"At least another five hours," replied K-1, "There is a lot here and those robots can only carry so much at a time."

"That long, eh?" said Gengar, "Very well. I shall return to my crystal for now. Its arcane energy is almost spent." Gengar the Great looked upon Gremlin, Crystal, K-1 and G6 with a content and peaceful look on his face.

"Please wait here until you have loaded everything up in your… 'S-5'," said Gengar softly, "Then, I shall give you my final request." Gremlin and his friends nodded their heads with affirmation as Gengar's figure again vanished into thin air. The time seemed to pass slowly as the R-25s continued their work throughout the day. Gremlin was increasingly filled with dread, knowing the greatest ghost Pokémon ruler in all of history was soon going to pass on. It just didn't seem fair to him that such a selfless and wise creature was soon going to have to confront his mortality. The last minutes ticked away as K-1's group of robots carried away what remained of Gengar's treasure and library. Once emptied and the last R-25s had left the once-hidden treasure room, the heavy door slowly slid closed for the last time. K-1 once again activated the black crystal and Gengar the Great's hologram form faded into view.

"I trust everything is taken care of?" asked Gengar.

"All of your treasures and books are safe and secure in my vehicle at the surface," replied K-1 with utmost confidence and a nod of his metallic head. The Ghost Pokémon ruler smiled, letting out a sigh of relief and contentment.

"Then it is time for you all to leave Twilight," said Gengar, "Please take my crystal to my throne room. At is at the very top of the tower at the center of my city."

"As you wish…" said Gremlin, trying not to show his grief. Gengar's form again disappeared and before long, the Sableye and his three friends were on their way to what had once been Gengar the Great's palace. They continued their slow progression towards and into the white marble tower with silence and utmost respect. For the four companions, it was if they were on a funeral procession, preparing to lay Gengar the Great down in his final resting place. At the top room of the tower, K-1 pushed open a pair of large, ornate doors made of dark wood, accented with edges and patterns made of gold. The Ghost Forme torches in the throne room were lit brightly, fully illuminating the entire chamber. The throne room as much like the one in the grand palace of Olympus: a long and wide red carpet extended from the entrance all the way to a golden throne with red cushions, standing at the middle of raised platform of white marble. This time, the black crystal flickered to life on its own. Gengar was smiling as he looked around the throne room.

"I haven't seen this place in so long," said Gengar cheerfully and with a peaceful tone of voice, "This will be the perfect place for my last moments. K-1? Please set the crystal on my throne." K-1 nodded his head and stepped up to Gengar the Great's throne. The robot ever so tenderly laid the crystal on the plush red seat of the beautiful golden chair. No one spoke a word as Gengar's transparent form looked about the room, admiring all the details that had gone into his main chamber. Suddenly, Gremlin burst into tears and dropped to his knees, his head bowed low to the ground.

"Oh?" said Gengar, somewhat surprised at the Sableye's reaction, "What's troubling you, my friend?" Crystal knelt down and wrapped her arms around her grieving mate, trying to console him… letting him know she was there for him.

"Do you really have to leave?" sobbed Gremlin with bitter sadness, "Can't we… recharge your crystal or something? Surely there is a way we can save you…"

"Gremlin… Crystal… Please step up to my throne," said Gengar tenderly. Gremlin nodded his head as his wife gently helped her husband to his feet and towards Gengar's throne. The ghost monarch motioned for the Sableye and Kirlia to sit down at his feet. Gengar drew a deep breath and spoke to the saddened Sableye with a gentle voice.

"Gremlin, I knew for the longest time that I would one day pass on," said Gengar the Great softly, "I have no regrets: nothing to tie me to this world. Please don't cry, my friend. Instead, be happy in knowing how I lived a long and wonderful life, helped so many and that I am not going to die alone."

"I… I just can't bear it…" wept Gremlin.

"I'm leaving the restoration of the Order of Twining Shadows in the very capable hands of you and your wife, Crystal," said Gengar with a friendly smile, "I know you will do your best to protect each other and prepare for the final confrontation with the Blight and their vile master."

"I don't mean to interrupt," said K-1, trying his best to be polite, "But do you have any descendants who could take your place on the throne of Twilight?"

"I'm afraid not," said Gengar solemnly, "I guess I do have but one regret after all… I never married and got to experience the love of a female Pokémon. I have no heirs. After all, Twilight can never be brought back to the surface. With all the humans now living in this land, this city could never again return or survive without drawing their attention."

"I understand…" said K-1 with a nod of his head.

"Gremlin, Crystal, K-1 and G6…" said Gengar the Great with a triumphant voice, "I hereby order you to destroy the place where the humans came into my city. Seal it up as best as you can and hopefully this place will never be disturbed again."

"As you wish, Gengar the Great…" said Gremlin with immeasurable grief. The holographic form of Gengar drifted towards Gremlin, landing in front of the crying Sableye. Gengar knelt down and looked into Gremlin's gemstone eyes.

"Please don't grieve for me, my friend," said Gengar with a smile, "I am so happy to have met you and to know the future of the Order of Twining Shadows will be a great one. I am about to finally be at peace and free from this mortal coil."

"I wish you didn't have to leave… I really wish you could stay and guide me…" said a sobbing Gremlin.

"You will do fine," said Gengar with a wink at the despairing Sableye, "Now, please hear my final requests." Gremlin nodded his head, wiping tears from his face.

"Please recover my artifacts at once. You are going to need them in the days ahead," said Gengar in a cheerful manner, "Now… my crystal is almost out of power and I will have no choice but to return to it in eternal slumber. However, if you would please destroy the crystal with your sword, I can be free. Otherwise, I will have to wait literally until the end of time before I can go onward to my afterlife in paradise."

"If that is what you wish, I shall do it," said Gremlin with a nod of his head and great determination in his voice.

"Mind well what you have learned, my friend," said Gengar the Great as his form began to disappear for the final time, "Now… free me from this world…" Gremlin took a deep breath, watching as Gengar's smiling and content form vanished from sight. The Sableye stood up on his feet and approached Gengar's throne, eying the black crystal. K-1, G6 and Crystal stepped back and watched as the enchanted sword, Soul Cleaver, appeared in its scabbard on Gremlin's back. The Sableye reached behind with his right hand and drew the mighty blade from its holster. Gremlin paused for a moment while wrapping his hands around the grip of the sword. He held the blade up high, preparing to strike at the crystal with all his might. The Sableye drew a deep breath, desperately wishing there had been a way to save Gengar the Great. However, Gremlin did not desire for his great hero to have to spend untold years locked away in the small black crystal. Gremlin knew very well he had to go through with this.

"Kyaaaaa!" howled a deeply grieved Gremlin as he brought the sword down upon the dark crystal with every ounce of his strength, shattering the large gem into thousands of pieces. The moment the crystal was broken, its black color began to fade away and soon, all that remained were many shards of clear, sparkling crystal. Gremlin let go of his blade, letting it fall to the floor. The Sableye fell to his knees, weeping loudly as all the Ghost Forme torches and lampposts throughout all of twilight suddenly went dark. Gremlin froze, tears streaming down his face when he felt a strong pair of hands fall gently on his shoulders. A tender voice whispered into his right ear.

"Farewell, Gremlin, my dear friend… Lord of the Order of Twining Shadows…" said the voice of Gengar the Great. Only the bright eye-lights from K-1 and G6 now lit up the darkened throne room and Gremlin wept bitterly for his departed hero and mentor. Crystal walked up to her mate and knelt and his left side. The Kirlia and Sableye wasted no time in wrapping their arms around each other as Gremlin cried out with anguish. Even K-1, a machine, shed a single tear as he unexpectedly lost control over the lubrication and cleaning systems for his electronic eyes for but a moment. It would be some time before the four companions would begin their long and slow trip back through the now darkened ruins of Twilight. Eventually, Gremlin and his friends boarded the S-5 heavy carrier, named the _Titan_. The sun was beginning to set as the mighty machine lifted off the ground with its cargo and crew of robots. As expected, K-1 was at the controls of the S-5. The expert robotic pilot flew a few hundred yards away from the small structure that house the freight elevator. K-1 powered up the S-5's massive, forward facing cannons. It took little time for the _Titan_'s targeting computer to lock onto the small building. K-1 looked over his shoulder at Gremlin, who was still crying, and Crystal, lovingly staying at her mate's side to comfort him.

"Anyone want to say anything?" asked K-1 softly.

"I do," said G6, "Gengar the Great: you were my creator and my only friend until today. Thank you for giving me the chance to travel with Gremlin, Crystal and K-1. I shall do everything in my power to protect and help them."

"We will recover your relics. May God have you rest in peace," said Crystal somberly. Gremlin wiped his face with his left, satin sleeve and drew a deep breath. The Sableye gathered himself as best as he could.

"I only wish we didn't have to say goodbye so soon," said Gremlin, "You shall be avenged. The Blight will face justice for what they did to your city and to you, Gengar the Great."

"We shall honor your wishes and work hard to recover your missing relics. We shall not fail you. Farewell, Gengar the Great," said K-1 with utmost respect as he was about to press the firing buttons in the S-5's control wheel.

"No! Stop!" yelled a frantic Gremlin. K-1 jumped out of his seat with his flailing arms just missing the firing buttons.

"What's wrong, my love?" asked Crystal with concern. The Sableye got up from the navigator's seat and console, behind where the pilot, K-1, was currently sitting.

"May I please do this?" asked Gremlin. K-1 nodded his head and stepped aside from the control wheel. The Sableye took a deep breath, grasping the wheel in his hands. He rested his thumbs upon the red buttons which would fire the S-5's heavy plasma cannons. Gremlin took a deep breath.

"May no more cities and Pokémon suffer the same fate as Twilight," said Gremlin. The Sableye jammed his thumbs onto the firing buttons. In an instant, the _Titan__'__s_large cannons roared to life, sending a flurry of red bolts of explosive energy towards the ground. A series of powerful explosions lit up around the freight elevator as the small building soon vanished behind clouds of black smoke. The elevator shaft collapsed into itself as rocks and sand began to fill the void it left behind. K-1 was watching the _Titan__'__s_ sensor displays closely. The mine shaft that led into the city, deep underground, was collapsing as well. Oddly enough, there did not seem to be any cave-ins about the city of Twilight itself.

"Looks like the city of eternal dusk shall be preserved for all time," marveled K-1. Gremlin released his hands from the control wheel as one last volley of energy bolts slammed into the desert below and into the distance. Crystal closed her eyes.

"Gremlin, my love," said Crystal softly, "Do you think you can help me cover up that crumbled entrance of Twilight? I really want to make sure that no one ever goes down there again."

"Not to mention the passageway underneath the dance hall. It should be easy to seal off those caverns," said K-1, "I can take care of that once we get back." Gremlin nodded his head as he walked over and then sat down next to his loving wife. The newlyweds held hands as they closed their eyes and concentrated deeply, focusing their power. K-1 quickly turned his attention to where the freight elevator once stood. He watched with amazement as several sand dunes shifted from their positions towards where the elevator once stood. In a matter of moments, the area was buried under hundreds of feet of yellow sand. As Gremlin and Crystal opened their eyes, the sun slipped below the horizon and night began to fall upon the land. Soon, the S-5 heavy carrier was sailing through the skies, back to the outskirts of Alakaz and to the old dance hall. Crystal held onto Gremlin all the way back to their temporary home. Though the Sableye was comforted by his wife's gentle embrace and loving presence, Gremlin still could not get over the fact that Gengar the Great had passed away. In addition, Gengar's metropolis, Twilight, the once beautiful city of eternal dusk, would now have to rest in silent darkness forever.

**-147-**

That night had been, by far, the worst Gremlin could ever remember. Worse then when he had to part ways with his friend Joe: more grievous still than when he had to leave behind the home of his father Asmodeus, his mother Cheryl and his brother Michael. Nonetheless, Gremlin took comfort in spending the night with his loving and devoted wife, Crystal. Her tender, reassuring words and gentle embrace were all it took to help Gremlin feel better and by morning, Gremlin was once again his happy-go-lucky self. During the night, K-1, G6 and the R-25s had labored considerably to seal the entrance of the caverns in the basement of the dance hall. Behind a new, wooden wall in the back of the closet that Gremlin had accidentally destroyed was now over 200 feet of solid rock with just a hint of sand. K-1 was delighted to see Gremlin and Crystal emerge from their bedroom that morning with big smiles on their faces. Once at the breakfast table, the Sableye, his Kirlia wife, K-1 and the golem, G6, started to discuss their plans for the coming night.

"I can't believe we're actually going to go through with this," said Crystal with utter disbelief.

"You're telling me, Crystal," said K-1 hesitantly, "Robbing museums is generally against my programming."

"But we have no choice," said Gremlin resolutely, "We have to get those artifacts back. The longer they stay in the museums, the greater the chance that something might happen to them."

"Agreed," said G6, "K-1 brought me up to speed on an organization of vile humans, known as Team Shadow. It would not surprise me if those people were to attempt to steal the artifacts for themselves." The hulking Golem had to hunch over in order to not bump his head into the ceiling, just nine feet above the floor of the apartment suite of the old dance hall.

"Well, to review the locations we must… 'Visit'," said K-1 with a heavy sigh, "We are going to have to launch raids on the Alakaz Museum of Natural History, the Alakaz Museum of Anthropology and lastly, the Grand Museum of Alakaz. The third target is by far the largest museum in all of the Gardev Region. That place is also where the vast majority of the artifacts have been taken and put on display for the time being."

"Okay…" said Gremlin, "If I remember correctly from what you said earlier K-1, there are 6 artifacts at the Museum of Natural History, 8 relics at the Museum of Anthropology and the other 28 are located in the Grand Museum of Alakaz."

"I did some additional research on those museums," said a concerned K-1, "Oddly enough, they are all owned and operated by the Allens Corporation. Since the current CEO of that company is Gregory Allens, an old man mired in accusations of corruption, I would not be surprised if the artifacts were to accidentally 'Disappear' under the company's 'Close' watch."

"We're going to have to come up with a suitable plan of attack," said G6 with a serious tone of voice, "If we rush into this we could easily fail in our mission."

"Agreed," said a rather worried K-1.

"Well, I think we can agree the best time to launch our little heists would be at night," suggested Crystal.

"Good thinking, my love," said the Kirlia's grinning Sableye, "My powers will be at their strongest in the dark." K-1's eyes glowed brightly with an intense blue light as a 3D wire-frame model of the interior and exterior of the Museum of Natural History appeared, floating over the dining room table.

"This first museum should be a cakewalk, being the smallest," said K-1 confidently, "There are no security guards there, only some considerable automated systems, like motion sensors, infrared trip-wires and pressure plates underneath many of the exhibits. I can easily hack into the security system and disable it long enough for us to get what we need and then make our exit to the next location."

"That would be the Museum of Anthropology," remarked Crystal as K-1 then project a perfect 3D model of the second museum above the table for all his friends to see.

"Correct," said K-1, "This establishment is much larger than the Museum of Natural History: large enough and with more valuable exhibits. This is more than enough to warrant armed guards as well as a much more elaborate security setup than our previous target. There are four guards on active duty each night. At least that is what my sources of information say. Still, I would be wary as most of my information on these museums came from the Internet. Central could easily pick out good information from false info, but we're too far away and don't have the time to try and meet with her."

"I suspect that all we have to do is disable the security system and then deal with the guards," stated Crystal.

"Correct: in that precise order," said K-1 to the beautifully-dressed Kirlia, "I possess nonlethal weapons while you and Gremlin can easily use your psychic and ghost-type attacks to either knock out or put the security personnel to sleep."

"Sounds easy enough," said G6, "But what is my part in all of this?" K-1 glanced over at the Ghost Forme golem.

"For the first two museums, your job will be to help carry back all the recovered artifacts," explained K-1 as the image of the second museum was quickly replaced with a 3D model of the Grand Museum of Alakaz, "The third museum will be the most difficult by far. There are over a dozen armed guards on duty at any time. Due to the wealth of the exhibits they protect, they are well armed and armored. In addition, there are unconfirmed reports of prototype defense robots of some kind. Apparently, several attack drones are being thoroughly tested by the Allens Corporation at this museum before putting these automated units into full production. The real problem is that the security system is segregated in multiple sections. There are five distinct zones in the defense system: though the security zones are operated by one control room, gaining access to that control room will not be possible."

"How about we cut power to the building?" suggested Crystal.

"That won't do any good," said K-1 with a sigh, "The back-up generators would automatically kick in. To make matters worse, each security zone has multiple generators in different locations. There is one place; however, where I could try and tap into the museum's security network. If I can get to that certain point in the museum, I can then shut down the entire defense grid. After that, we just have to deal with the guards."

"Besides cameras, guards, motion sensors and attack robots, what else does the Grand Alakaz Museum have that the others do not possess?" asked G6 with curiosity.

"The windows, doors and walls are all heavily reinforced," replied K-1, "Just getting into the museum unnoticed is going to be difficult. On top of that, in case of an emergency, blast doors can be deployed to cover all entryways, exits and windows. Only the museum curator has the override codes for when the system is on full alert. Once activated, he is the only one who can take the system off its alarm mode. If things get dicey, we may have to shoot our way out. G6, you will have to deal with any blast doors if they are actually deployed, in addition to carrying back any recovered artifacts."

"I'm assuming the S-5 is going to be our base of operations?" asked Gremlin, "Since the _Titan_ can be cloaked, at least landing and taking off from the museums should be easy."

"And that would be the only easy part," said K-1, "Now; I recommend we come up with a precise plan to tackle the obstacles of each museum. I imagine we will only have one shot at this and we must hit all of the installations in one night." With K-1's companions in agreement, they spent the entire day and well into the evening discussing their plan of action. Working together, they eventually figured out who would play what part in each of the heists. For the rest of the evening, K-1 and Gremlin spent several hours gleaning through Gengar the Great's personal library. Gremlin was all too eager to learn more about Ghost Forme as well as the written form of his own language. By nightfall, they had a concrete plan and were more than ready to put it in action. As dusk fell upon the other-wise deserted outskirts of Alakaz, Gremlin and his companions were getting into the heavy carrier.

"K-1? Please remind me why we didn't pack up everything we brought with us to the dance hall?" asked a confused Crystal.

"I was wondering the same thing, myself," admitted Gremlin, "Like why we're leaving the R-25s behind, too."

"We're going to have to come back here, anyway," replied K-1, "I have some unfinished business here that needs my attention. Not to worry. We'll be able to make a clean getaway."

"Easy enough, especially when your vehicle, despite being so huge, can become invisible and run silently," said Crystal, shrugging her shoulders as she took a seat in the navigator's chair. Gremlin hopped into the co-pilot's chair. The Sableye couldn't help but glance over at his lovely wife.

"Isn't this romantic, my sweet?" said Gremlin, grinning at his mate, "We're going to rob some museums on our date!" Crystal laughed, feeling somewhat better at what was about to take place. As for G6, the golem remained silent and motionless, wanting to get this madness over with as quickly as possible.

"At least those stupid birds have finally stopped trying to get through the S-5," said K-1 as he climbed into the pilot's chair.

"Do you think they've learned their lesson?" suggested Crystal.

"Who knows…?" said Gremlin with dread, "I just don't want to have to sweep more of those avian boneheads off the roof."

"Here, here," said K-1, agreeing wholeheartedly with Gremlin. The _Titan_ began to lift into the sky, completely undetectable to anyone who might have been watching. The R-25 robots had been ordered to stay out of sight by K-1, so the lot of them congregated down in the dance hall's sprawling basement to await the return of the bipedal, metallic feline and his compatriots.


	12. Section 12

**-148-**

Gregory Allens couldn't remember the last time had had felt so weak. Despite being possessed by the powerful spirit of Shadow Mack, he could not understand why he had become so frail. The great leader of Team Shadow was resting well in a hospital bed, somewhere deep in his headquarters. The room, with its white walls, ceiling and floor, was filled with all kinds of medical equipment and machinery. The old man looked up to see Lord Cyan Drake and his cohort, Grand Commander Argus, wearing their long dark cloaks and masks, standing at his bedside, overlooking their great leader.

"How long have I been out?" asked Gregory, reaching over to a nearby nightstand to grab his glasses.

"Please, take it easy, sire," said Cyan with concern, "You gave us all a good scare back in the throne room." Argus walked over and gently handed his leader his glasses. Gregory quickly slipped on his eyewear, now able to see clearly again.

"It's been a little less than a day since you had that heart attack, your highness," replied Argus respectfully.

"So it seems," said Gregory, "I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to hang on. Even with the Great Spirit in possession of my body, I am continuing to grow weak. Shadow Mack promised that I shall at least see my 115th birthday, but what kind of shape am I going to be in by that time?"

"If I recall correctly, your predecessor had the same problems," said Cyan with a heavy sigh, "He lived a very long time, dying at the age of 121, but he was incredibly weak and frail during the last 5 years of his life."

"I guess that's the price I pay," said Gregory, "No matter. Our plans must proceed on schedule."

"Sire, if you don't mind me asking, have you come to a decision yet for a successor?" asked Cyan with a bow towards Gregory.

"The daughter of Jake and Makoto Allens, Sakura Allens, would have been my first choice," replied Gregory with a sigh of despair, "She is plenty young enough, but Jake, his wife Makoto and my nephews Warren and John have kept her far from me since the day she was born."

"If only you could visit the Golden Room," said Argus, sadness abounding in his voice, "Then, you would be like us."

"That is simply out of the question," said Gregory angrily, "You both know going there could very well kill me!"

"Well… back to the matter of your successor, then?" suggested Argus with a fearful gulp.

"Ah, yes…" said Gregory, now deep in thought, "I think I have no choice but have the great-great grandson of Alfonso Allens be next in line for my throne and position as leader of Team Shadow. Gordon Allens should be a good choice, indeed…"

"He's still too young! Only a teenager!" said a shocked Argus.

"Silence!" thundered Gregory with hot anger, "I have made my choice and that is final! You dare question my authority, Grand Commander? I could snap you like a twig with a mere thought. Don't make me regret promoting you, Argus!"

"No, sir!" said Argus with a quick salute, "I will not second-guess your decisions and I shall obey your orders."

"Very good, then," said Gregory, turning his gaze upon Cyan, "Have the search teams begun their second round of searching that underground city for more artifacts? Surely there are more discoveries to be made down there." Cyan paused, hesitant to answer as he was not sure how his frail leader would react.

"I'm… I'm afraid… that…" stammered Cyan.

"Enough!" shouted Gregory, "Am I going to have to have another coronary before you answer me? What the devil happened over there?" Cyan drew a deep breath and spoke with a calm voice.

"Someone destroyed the freight elevator," was Cyan's fearful reply, "On top of that; the entire site is now covered with hundreds of feet of sand. No one knows how, but some sand dunes changed place during the night and mowed over the entire digging site. To make matters worse, we believe the elevator shaft and mining tunnel have probably collapsed. We now have no way of accessing the subterranean ruins."

"Am I correct in assuming no one had success in breaking open that bizarre memorial near the middle of the city?" asked Gregory. Cyan nodded his head in reply.

"My scout team was completely unsuccessful in breaching that tomb, your highness," said a disappointed Argus, his tone of voice quickly changing to a more cheerful one, "But I do have good news. My other teams managed to recover every last artifact of power from the ruins. Our scientists are quite eager to study them. All that remains is removing them from the museums before anyone else tries to make off with them. Or before leading scientists start asking about where we found those relics."

"Do you have a plan to accomplish this?" queried Gregory.

"We're still hashing out all the details, sir," answered Argus, "But the plan is to stage a fake heist at all the museums in Alakaz that hold the artifacts in question. A simultaneous and very quick raid appears to be the best option. I should have all my teams in position and ready to begin the operation within the next 24 hours, my liege."

"That would be some very good news, then," said Gregory with glee and renewed hope, "Maybe there's something in that little collection that would enable me to live even longer, but also with a stronger body."

"Anything is possible, sire," said a determined Cyan. Gregory nodded his head in agreement.

"Indeed," said Gregory, "Now, I don't suppose any of you have heard from my doctor on how long I'll have to rest here?"

"Just a week at the most, your highness," replied Argus, "You are expected to make a full and quick recovery."

"More good news," said Gregory, "Seems like such a commodity is starting to become scarce. I still don't understand why Cipher fell in the first place. The Guardians of Gardev may have dealt a devastating blow to Cecil Drake and Dr. Namwen, possibly killing them, but how did a mere child defeat Master Greevil?"

"A true mystery, if you ask me, sire," said Argus with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Well, we had better be ready in the days ahead," said Gregory, an evil grin spreading across his face, "No doubt my nephew Warren will try and submit yet another application for the removal of those 'Troublesome' Pokémon from his vineyards. I'm looking forward to stirring up that group of radical dimwits again, just so every senator in the region will have to agree with declining the good mayor of Gardev's request, unless they want to be the focal point of a good old-fashioned smear campaign!"

"If memory serves me correctly, he submits that application every year," remarked Argus.

"And every year he gets devastated when his request gets denied time and again!" laughed Gregory.

"Why are those vineyards so important, anyway?" asked a confused Argus, "Not like we're trying to push Warren out of the wine business. The Gardev wineries have been shut down for decades."

"Perhaps you've forgotten about the Guardians of Gardev?" asked Gregory, "They are the legal property of the mayor of Gardev. The male Guardian, who goes by the name of Dr. Mack Foxx, is actually our greatest threat. His defeat is the ultimate goal of the Great Spirit; however, such a goal will become far more difficult if Mack and his mate have offspring."

"A pity we can't go and simply destroy them now," grumbled Argus. Gregory glared at the Grand Commander.

"The Guardians are still far too powerful, even if all of our forces were to engage them, we would still fall," said Gregory with another heavy sigh of despair, "We will only stand a chance once the Golden Room is fully operational. In the meantime, I have a number of back-up plans in motion."

"Like the Gardev vineyards?" asked a curious Argus.

"Well, that is but one plot I have in effect," was Gregory's answer, "That Gardev Wine is like love potion to Kirlias, Gardevoirs and Gallades. Anything we can do to drive a wedge between Mack and his mate is worth doing. Then, I have a little surprise in store for… well… I can't speak of it to you. The details of my next big scheme are far too sensitive. Nonetheless, my bloodthirsty agent and his army are looking forward to landing a devastating blow to the hidden Gardevoir civilizations of the region, starting with the one near Gardev…" Cyan and Argus said not a word to anyone for the rest of the day. Nonetheless, they couldn't help but wonder why and how anyone would stand a chance against an entire Gardevoir city. Team Shadow knew full well of the existence of several Gardevoir settlements in the Gardev Region. As far as Cyan and Argus were concerned, the day was coming soon in which the hidden cities of the peace-loving psychic Pokémon would finally fall…

**-149-**

As had been expected, raiding the small Alakaz Museum of Natural History had been a cakewalk. All K-1 had to do was hack into the automated security system and subsequently disable it. Since there were no security guards at this facility, Gremlin, Crystal and G6 were practically unopposed as they recovered the six Ghost Forme artifacts that had been taken from Twilight. Once everyone was safe and back onboard the _Titan_, K-1 reactivated the building's alarm system. The motion sensors and infrared tripwires all reactivated without a hitch. As K-1 suspected, no alarms tripped at all. Then again, none of the artifacts his friends had recovered had been on pressure plates or inside alarm-rigged display cases.

"Well, that was much easier than I expected," remarked G6.

"Don't bother celebrating just yet," warned K-1, "Things are only going to get much more difficult from here." The massive S-5 heavy carrier sailed silently through the skies above Alakaz. Gremlin and Crystal said not a word and sat almost motionless in their chairs. Little time had passed before K-1 began to guide the _Titan_ into a gentle descent towards the ground below. There was a huge open grass-covered area in front of the Alakaz Museum of Anthropology: plenty of room for the cloaked S-5 carrier to land. To make things better, there seemed to be no guards on patrol on the grounds surrounding the old, yet considerably-sized 3 story red brick building. With the S-5 flying completely silent due to its sound dampers, the area around the museum was almost silent, save for the soft sound of a gentle breeze.

"If my databanks are correct, which they rarely are not…" stated K-1 as he powered down the _Titan__'__s_ engines, "There should only be four guards on duty and they always stay inside. This phase of our mission will be more difficult, but by all means, it will be much easier to accomplish than the next museum."

"I'm surprised we got the first six relics without any trouble," said Crystal, sighing with relief, "You think the curators at the Alakaz Museum of Natural history would have been more careful with those artifacts."

"Perhaps, due to the relics' mundane appearance, the curators simply did not think these objects were very valuable," suggested K-1 as he stood from the pilot's chair.

"I think it's more likely they had no idea what they were dealing with," said Gremlin, "At any rate, we have a job to do." Crystal stood up from the communications officer's seat, located behind the co-pilot's chair. Gremlin looked over at his wife, watching as she gently shook out her sparkling, jewel-encrusted satin skirt with both hands.

"Just between you and me, love," said Crystal, giggling with embarrassment, "I wish our little adventure this evening didn't have to coincide with our honeymoon. These wedding dresses of ours might be beautiful and a joy to wear, but they are still a tab bit… unwieldy."

"I couldn't agree more," cackled Gremlin nervously as he stood up, softly grasped onto his own satin skirt and gave it a few light shakes to even out his own fluffy petticoats, "Oh, well. We have to abide by Gardevoir tradition."

"At least you two get to rob these museums in style," joked G6. Gremlin, Crystal and even K-1 laughed at the golem's statement.

"Even so, there may still be a way to use your attire to our advantage," said a hopeful K-1. The four companions made their way out of the spacious cockpit and before long they were standing near the left, front most side door of the S-5. Crystal quickly noticed that something was amiss.

"How strange," remarked Crystal, peering out through the circular window on the heavy metallic door, "I wonder why the area-lights are turned off. It's so dark out here…"

"That makes things easier for us," said K-1 quietly as he pressed a few buttons on a small control panel on the right side of the entryway with one of his robotic arms.

"I couldn't agree more," cackled Gremlin with glee, "I'll be able to make all of us invisible in this darkness with relative ease." K-1 looked over his left shoulder at his friends.

"Are you all set?" asked K-1 cautiously. The Sableye, Kirlia and hulking golem nodded their head with affirmation. Without another word, the heavy door slid open. From outside the S-5, no one could tell what was going on as the two Pokémon and two machines quickly and stealthily dashed across the front lawn. With Gremlin's powers over shadows, he and his compatriots were completely invisible, as was the side door of the _Titan_. The heavy doorway sealed itself as Gremlin and company arrived on the front porch of the museum.

"There are no cameras or motion sensors in this area," whispered K-1, "Needless to say; this blind spot in the security grid will be most helpful to us." G6 peered through the glass windows on the upper half of the double doors. Just beyond the doorway was a cavernous room: the front lobby of the museum. At the wide receptionists' desk sat four young men in black leather office chairs: judging by their uniforms and side-arms, all of them were clearly the museum security guards. The front lobby also appeared to be the only part of the entire interior of the building which was lit: with rather dim lighting.

"What do you see, G6?" asked K-1 with a gentle whisper.

"It would appear the four security guards are lounging in the receptionist area," replied G6 softly.

"Maybe we can sneak in the back and try to disarm the security system before subduing the guards?" suggested Crystal. The newlywed Kirlia glanced at her mate. The Sableye had his left ear pressed against the door and a devious, toothy grin on his face. This was all Crystal needed to know that her husband had just hatched a much better plan.

"Why bother with all the fuss?" said Gremlin, smirking at his three friends, "Listen carefully to those guards… I think you will find their conversation to be quite… amusing…" Crystal leaned against the door, pressing her right ear against it while K-1 turned up the sensitivity of his electronic ears. The Kirlia and robot couldn't help but grin as they heard the four security officers having a very interesting conversation.

"I wish management would quit putting me on the graveyard shift…" complained one of the guards.

"Oh, Kile… would you please give that a rest, already?" snapped the second guard, "You say that every night now at least twice!"

"What's the matter, tough guy?" laughed the third and very sarcastic guard, "Afraid the skeletons, mummies, tribal masks and shrunken heads are gonna get ya in a dark corner of the museum and eat you alive?"

"Come on, Karl! It would help if you and Shawn would stop giving me a hard time!" grumbled Kile angrily, "Didn't the rest of you guys pay attention in history class? There are more than a few legends about some of the artifacts in this very museum being cursed! How come we always have to display the weirdest stuff in the entire world here?"

"Duh! This is the Alakaz Museum of Anthropology," said the fourth guard, more than a little annoyed, "If you're so scared of the ancient bones and whatnot displayed at this museum, why the heck did you try to get a security job here?"

"I was really hoping for the day shift…" muttered Kile with a heavy sigh of despair. The troubled man's three cohorts erupted into gales of laughter.

"The day shift?" laughed Karl, "Didn't you bother to read the job description in the classifieds? The museum needed to hire a fourth security guard for the graveyard shift because another guard just recently retired."

"So you think the nice sunshine somehow makes whatever 'Evil' is lurking in this museum go and hide during the day?" said Shawn, sniggering loudly in a most irritating manner.

"At least having this place brightly-lit makes me feel a lot better. Besides, I really needed the job," sighed Kile despairingly, "I was really hoping I might be able to trade shifts with someone else… So much for that idea…"

"Indeed," said Karl with a smirk, "You're the new guy, so that makes you the lowest rung on the ladder."

"Look… you managed to get hired for the job and you needed it quite badly, right?" asked the fourth guard.

"Yeah… that's right, Bob…" said the worried first guard.

"Then what are you complaining about?" asked Bob, sounding more companionate for his younger comrade, "I had to start on the graveyard shift, myself. You really have nothing to worry about. Trust me: I've been working here for ten years."

"I guess you're right, Bob," said Kile, feeling only slightly better, "Still… I can't help but wonder if…"

"Wonder if what?" demanded Karl, becoming more and more irritated with each passing moment.

"It's probably nothing," said Kile, "But I still think that one day, some spirit or ghost of some kind is going to demand we return some of the artifacts at this museum."

"That will be enough," said Karl impatiently, "Don't forget who's in charge here."

"Yeah, me," said Bob, much to Karl's chagrin. The Sableye, Kirlia and K-1 couldn't help but chuckle with glee as they turned about and faced one another.

"So…" said Crystal with a fiendish smile, "We have a superstitious security guard on our hands who also happens to have a few overconfident coworkers."

"It should be easy to take advantage of that," said K-1, "Do you have a plan, Gremlin?" The Sableye cackled to himself.

"I do have a plan," said an excited Gremlin, "I remember those maps you showed us of the museum layout, K-1. Think you could get inside and kindly shut down the electronic defenses and cut the power at, say… a most opportune time?"

"It won't be a problem," said K-1 cheerfully, "I'm going to have to thank the architect of this building one day for being unwise enough to place the circuit-breakers near the alarm control panels." Crystal giggled with glee.

"Are you planning on unleashing some more of you little parlor tricks, my love?" asked the young Kirlia, smirking at her mate.

"Yep!" replied a very happy Gremlin, "While I am going to whip up some terror on those guards, my little plan will involve you primarily, my dear." Suddenly, Crystal was not so enthusiastic.

"What are you scheming?" asked Crystal with a frown. With a sudden and unexpected motion, Gremlin grasped onto his wife's right hand with one hand and slid a strange silver ring right over her middle finger with his other. Crystal was shocked and tore her hand away from her mate's grasp. She looked down at her finger as the ring began to glow with a soft blue light. The Kirlia was scared and very bewildered: she began to feel rather strange. Crystal felt weightless, but also like she still had complete control of her body.

"Wait…" said Crystal, now curious instead of worried, "Isn't this one of the artifacts we recovered from the last museum?"

"Yes it is," said Gremlin with a friendly smile, "Please forgive me, my love: I did not mean to scare you. I think you are going to like what this little device can do." Crystal turned her gaze upon her mate. She may have felt better, but nonetheless, the young Kirlia was still quite worried.

"I forgive you, Gremlin, but what exactly is this ring for?" asked Crystal, "I… feel so strange…" Gremlin's friendly smile quickly put the young Kirlia at ease.

"Believe me, I would have never had you wear this artifact without knowing what it does," said Gremlin with a gentle voice, "This ring is meant for giving other Pokémon a few abilities that we ghost Pokémon possess. Now you can float and fly about in the air with relative ease. You can also phase through solid objects by becoming incorporeal at will. According to the runes on this ring, this ring's abilities will only last up to an hour before the artifact must then rest for at least a day in order for its power to be restored. The ring will turn red when its power is almost used up." Crystal, feeling much more confident, began to slowly lift up into the air. The newlywed Kirlia was giggling happily as she floated a few feet off the ground.

"It's so… odd," remarked an amazed Crystal, "I feel like I know exactly know how to use these powers: like they are instinctive. I think I like this."

"Well, the ring was crafted by Gengar the Great himself," said Gremlin with a grin, "There is a message on the ring itself, etched out in the written form of ghost, which states that Gengar made this ring."

"I think I get your plan," said Crystal, slowly descending back towards the ground, "I will be the one who will go in there and scare the daylights out of those security guards."

"Exactly!" said a cheerful Gremlin with a nod of his head.

"Although…" said Crystal nervously, "How is a Kirlia in a wedding dress supposed to scare those guys?"

"Easy enough," said Gremlin with a smile, "All I need to do is make you look the part." Crystal was not quite sure what her mate was up to now, but the Sableye's eyes were closed tight and she could sense that her mate was gathering up his power.

"Crystal!" said an astonished K-1, "Your hair! It's turning white!" Crystal turned around fast to gaze at herself using K-1's shiny, metallic exterior as a crude mirror. The Kirlia watched, utterly amazed as her blue air was losing its color. Soon, her soft hair was as white as snow, but now her hair appeared to be growing very quickly before her eyes. In less than a minute, her hair was long enough to almost reach the ground. Crystal kept watching as her complexion also began to change as well. Her pure white skin began to take on a more grayish-white color. Crystal's face and hands now had a much sicklier look to them. The Kirlia held up the front of her skirt just enough to uncover her ankles. It quickly became apparent to Crystal that her body now exhibited the same unnerving coloration from head to toe.

"This is only temporary, right?" asked the stunned Kirlia, letting her sparkling skirt and fluffy petticoats fall back down around her feet, "It's all just a very clever illusion?"

"Actually, no, but turning you back to your old self will be very easy." said Gremlin reassuringly, the Sableye slowly opening his eyes, "My powers are at their strongest at night. The only other thing that will break this little spell of sorts will be when the sun rises."

"I look like a well-dressed banshee in my wedding attire," giggled Crystal nervously, "I guess I can do this."

"Just scare them senseless and I'll back you up with my powers," said Gremlin with a smirk, "I think you already know what to do and what to say, don't you my pretty little banshee?" Crystal smiled and nodded her head in reply.

"I think we're all set," said Crystal with glee, "This is going to be so much fun!"

"But first we need to shut off the power and alarm system," cautioned G6, "That should be a good way to start off your theatrics, Gremlin and Crystal."

"Already on it," said K-1's voice from above his companions. Startled, Gremlin, Crystal and G6 looked up. They were quite surprised to see K-1 literally walking up the wall.

"Just give me a few minutes," said K-1 as he stepped up onto the roof, "When the lights in the museum go dark, that's your cue to begin the operation." Once the robot disappeared from Gremlin, Crystal and G6's sight, the three companions waited patiently on the front stoop of the quiet museum. The married Sableye and Kirlia sat next to each other in a loving embrace. Crystal giggled quietly, blushing slightly while Gremlin tenderly ran his ringers through his wife's soft, long white hair. Only the full moon provided any light around the old brick building.

"This just doesn't make any sense…" said Crystal to her mate, "How come none of the lighting outside of this museum has been turned on? Seems to me like they are just asking to get robbed…" Gremlin didn't know how to answer his mate's question. As for K-1, he managed to gain entrance to the museum unnoticed through a skylight towards the back end of the building. Much to the robot's delight, the skylight was not rigged with an alarm. After unbolting the skylight from its place, he carefully set the heavy glass and metal panel down on the concrete floor of the roof before leaning over the newly-created porthole to gaze into the relative darkness of the museum. K-1's keen eyes and delicate sensors quickly took note of several security cameras, motion and acoustic sensors placed methodically through the large, open room below. In only a matter of moments, K-1's powerful processors located a considerable blind spot in the entire security grid of the chamber below, which happened to extend from the open skylight where K-1 was currently standing all the way to in front of the security control room's door.

"Here goes nothing," thought K-1 confidently while he deployed the ion engines from the sides of his legs. The robot activated his thrusters, but used as little power as possible to keep his engines from producing too might light. Without hesitation, K-1 jumped into the open skylight and began a slow, silent descent into the room. K-1 moved forward ever so slowly, towards a heavy door just in front of him. The robot's metallic feet soon made contact with the hard, marble floor with a very soft "Clink!" which barely echoed in the voluminous chamber. As K-1 had hoped, the almost undetectable noise had not tripped the acoustic alarms' sensors. The robot opened his chest panel and extended one of his intricate, metallic arms. K-1 grabbed onto the doorknob and pulled open the heavy door.

"Let's see what happens if we rewire and reprogram the museum's entire defense system," thought K-1 gleefully. Back out in front of the masonry building, Gremlin and Crystal were waiting patiently for the moment when they would begin their little strike. G6 was cautious and ever watchful, making absolutely certain he and his companions had remained unnoticed.

"You know what, love?" asked Crystal with a sweet whisper, "I really wish I could keep this hair. Well, maybe not the color, but I love the length." Gremlin, deep in thought, gently scratched his chin with his right hand.

"Maybe I can find something in one of Gengar's books before dawn," said Gremlin hopefully, "I would agree: you'd look good with long, flowing blue hair." Crystal giggled with glee and was about to say something to her loving mate when the lights of the front lobby suddenly went dark.

"What the…?" said Karl with surprise.

"Hey! Who put the lights out?" growled Shawn angrily.

"A very good question," said Bob with bewilderment, "You don't suppose were having a power failure, do you?"

"I don't think so," replied a disbelieving Karl, "The back-up generators would have kicked in by now." K-1 was watching the guards through the museum's security camera network in the control room. Only the glow from the camera system's monitors provided any illumination in the small chamber.

"The back-up power systems would indeed have activated," said K-1 to himself with a smirk, "That is, if I had not shut them all down. All the sensors are now offline and the cameras' recording system has been deactivated and erased. Plus, the building's power grid has been successfully rerouted. Now… I do believe its time Gremlin and Crystal made their move…" Several small emergency lights flicked on while the three veteran security guards quickly got out and turned on their flashlights. As for the newly-employed guard, Kile: if he had been scared before, now he was bordering on sheer terror.

"There can't be a power failure!" said a very annoyed Karl, "Look outside! All of Alakaz is lit except for this building! What's going on here?"

"Oh… why did the curator command us to turn off the perimeter lights on this night?" yelled Kile with fright.

"I admit even I find such a request strange," said Bob, "Nonetheless, we'd better get to the bottom of this."

"I would say so!" said Shawn in agreement, "New guy! You stay here in the lobby. The rest of us are going to check out the rest of the building. Something fishy is going on…"

"You're not leaving ME here alone!" snapped Kile angrily and also with immense fear, "Like I said: some of the artifacts in this museum are cursed! You're not gonna leave me behind just to get hexed by some evil spirit or something! No way! I'm coming with you guys and that's final!"

"Please, calm down. Someone has to stay here," said Bob calmly, "I'm in charge here, anyway. Tell you what: I'll go check the security control room. The rest of you can stay here and keep an eye on the lobby." While the second and third guards didn't mind staying put in the lobby, the first guard looked over at his superior officer with pleading eyes.

"Please, let me come with you! Please?" begged Kile. Bob, the veteran security guard let out a sigh.

"Alright, but only if you promise to stay quiet," said Bob sternly, "Do you understand?"

"Not a problem, sir," said Kile with relief very evident in his voice. The two men left the lobby hastily while the others stayed behind. Meanwhile, K-1 was looking at the security monitors and was horrified at what he saw and had heard. Now the two security guards were quickly on approach to the very control room where he was hiding!

"Looks like I better make a hasty retreat!" thought K-1 fearfully. He quickly straightened up the control room, which happened rather fast due to K-1's seemingly-unlimited supply of highly-articulated robotic arms. With everything back in its proper place, K-1 made a mad dash out of the control room, wasted no time in firing up is ion engines and then rocketed out of the large room. No sooner had K-1 flown out of the open skylight when the first and fourth security guards entered the room below, making a beeline for the control room. K-1 set his feet down on the roof and quickly got the open skylight closed back up. Once the last bolt was tightened, the glass and steel porthole was now closed. K-1 again turned on his ionic engines and made a quick retreat back to the S-5, confident that no one had seen him. Meanwhile, Shawn and Karl were now standing on their own in the front lobby, grumbling about their miserable luck and their irritating, superstitious coworker.

"Man, of all the nuts to get stuck with on this shift," said Shawn, the very annoyed and disappointed guard.

"I'll say!" laughed Karl, "Evil spirits… ghosts… curses! Ha! Everyone knows such things don't exist!" The very moment the third guard had finished his statement, the doors at every single entryway slammed themselves closed all at once as a strange black fog began to obscure the view through the outside windows. The emergency lights began to dim, as did the beams from the flashlights of the shocked guards.

"Now what's going on?" demanded Karl.

"Maybe you should have kept your big mouth shut!" said Shawn, now overcome with fear.

"This is ridiculous!" a highly-skeptical Karl, even as the lobby was quickly plunged into a deep and foreboding darkness, "There are no such things as ghosts and curses!"

"What about Ghost-Type Pokémon?" said Shawn with a loud gulp of fear, "They certainly do exist!"

"Bah!" said Karl, "No ghost Pokémon would want to live here. Not with so many people coming here every single day." Suddenly, an area of the middle of the lobby floor, ten feet in diameter, abruptly burst into flames over four feet tall. Three things struck the two security guards as strange. First, the fire didn't seem to be consuming anything. Second, the flames were an eerie, bluish color. Third, the fire did not seem to be radiating any heat at all. Lastly, the unnatural, localized inferno was not giving off any smoke.

"Maybe that loony was right!" shouted a terrified Shawn. The two guards at the security control room soon heard their comrades yelling from the lobby. With the exception of the emergency lights, nothing in the control room was working. Even the monitors for the camera network were all dark.

"What the devil are those two up to now?" asked Bob to himself with dread. He reached out and grasped onto the doorknob of the control room, but no matter hard he pulled and tugged at the door, it would not open.

"Are we stuck in here?" asked Kile nervously.

"Seems so," said Bob with a shrug of his shoulders, "I think the lock might be jammed. Just don't panic and give me a few minutes. I should be able to get this thing opened before long."

"Okay," said Kile calmly, "Whatever's going on out there, I'm sure those two will have everything under control before long despite the power failure."

"I agree," said Bob with a heavy sigh, "They're probably just making a ruckus out there now to try and annoy us…" By now, even Karl, who had been so confident and disbelieving, was scared stiff: as was his cohort. A drawn out horrible, blood-curdling scream echoed throughout the lobby. Karl and Shawn stood perfectly still, absolutely terrified and unable to move as a dark shape seemed to emerge from the floor underneath the eerie flames. The security duo was utterly shocked at what their eyes beheld as the figure floated above the fire.

"What… what is that?" stammered Karl.

"I think… I think it's a Kirlia!" yelped Shawn, "But I've never seen one like this before!" The creature had long, flowing, white hair and a sickly, grayish complexion to her skin. Even though she was beautifully adorned in a sparkling wedding dress and jewelry, this did little to stifle the men's fear. The Kirlia had a blank expression on her face and moved not a muscle for several horrible moments. Then, without warning, a horrible sneer appeared on the Kirlia's face. She opened her mouth wide, bearing her teeth as another horrid scream erupted into the lobby. The wide-eyed guards were slack-jawed: desperately hoping this was all just a bad dream.

"You fools!" screamed the Kirlia with unbridled rage at the two men, "How dare you steal my treasure!"

"Um… treasure…? What treasure?" whimpered Karl.

"Don't pay games with me, you pathetic worm!" howled the angry, ghostly Kirlia, "Those relics were a present to me from my husband-to-be! He left one day, saying he had important business to needed to attend to before becoming my mate, promising he would come back to me one day, but he didn't return for several years! Just days before he returned, I passed away!"

"I… I'm sorry…" said a terrified Shawn.

"I don't want your sympathy!" screamed the Kirlia as she floated towards the two men. Now, the undead Pokémon was merely a few feet away from the scared security guards.

"Those artifacts were placed in my grave by my love!" shouted the enrage Kirlia, "I was even buried in my wedding dress and jewelry! They are all I have left of him! Now, return to me my treasures or I'll devour your very souls!"

"What treasures…?" asked Shawn hesitantly.

"The ones that were brought in from those underground ruins, not far from your gleaming city…" snarled the ghostly Kirlia as she drifted to within inches of Shawn's face, "You know of the ones I speak of… return them to me at once…"

"Yes! Yes, madam!" said Shawn as he took off like a shot towards one of the exhibit rooms. The door opened itself only to let the horrified man pass. The banshee bride then turned her attention upon Karl who was far too scared to move.

"You've been rather mean to your cohort, haven't you?" thundered the undead Kirlia right at the third guard's face. The guard shuddered fearfully as the horrid banshee again opened her mouth, bearing her teeth.

"You shall get no mercy from me!" screamed the Kirlia. The second guard ran back into the lobby as the bridal banshee unleashed another ear-splitting scream right in Karl's face. The horrified man closed his eyes and dropped to the floor lifelessly as Shawn gulped loudly with fear. The enraged, ghostly bride immediately turned her head to gaze upon Shawn with a horrible scowl on her face. The still-conscious guard was quivering from sheer terror with several odd-looking artifacts cradled in his arms. The Kirlia floated towards the man.

"No! Please! Please, don't hurt me!" screamed Shawn as he took several steps away from the demonic abomination, "I'll do anything you want! Anything!"

"Save your breath, mortal," snarled the Kirlia, "Is that all of my treasures? You had better not play games with me or you'll end up like your friend over there!"

"I have them all!" answered the wide-eyed security guard, "All eight of them! Please! You can have them!"

"Good!" shouted the banshee Pokémon. Just then, the eight objects were harshly pulled from Shawn's grasp by an unseen force. The hateful scowl on the Kirlia's face was with soon replaced by a blank, emotionless expression. The ghostly fire in the middle of the lobby vanished in an instant.

"Thank you," said the Kirlia ghost softly, "Now I can again rest in peace." The banshee floated towards the nearest wall and slipped through it with the artifacts in tow. The doors in the large room all opened again by themselves as light again filled the lobby. The black fog outside vanished, too. Despite his better judgment, Shawn dashed to the window and looked out into the open front lawn of the museum. He watched as the Kirlia spirit and artifacts floated away and then seemed to vanish into thin air several yards away from the now brightly-lit building. Even the outside lights flickered to life. Shawn was completely in shock as he stood motionless, drawing in one deep breath after another as he tried to regain his composure.

"Did that really just happen?" asked the guard to himself as he heard a groan from behind. Shawn turned around fast to see his companion stagger to his feet.

"What in blazes happened to me?" asked a shaken Karl. Shawn was both astonished and ecstatic.

"You… you're alive!" shouted Shawn with great happiness, "I though you really were a goner after that banshee got you!" The third guard shuddered.

"Banshee…?" Karl asked, glancing left and right before facing his companion, "You know what Shawn? Maybe we should just keep this to ourselves, eh?" The second guard nodded his head in full agreement. Just then, the door to the control room opened on its own as all the computers, monitors and other systems flickered to life in an instant.

"That… was odd…" said a stumped Bob.

"I'll say!" said Kile happily, "Thank God that nightmare is over!" Bob, in agreement, nodded his head.

"Well, better go check on those two lunatics in the lobby," said the Bob with a sigh. The two men went running into the lobby, not sure what they would find. Needless to say, they were not expecting to find their two comrades shaken to the core. Bob let out yet another heavy sigh.

"Okay…" said Bob with dread to Karl and Shawn, "What happened here?" The two guards glanced at each other and said nothing. The silence only made Bob scowl with anger.

"I will ask again," said Bob, becoming more and more irritated, "What the devil happened out here?"

"A… a… ban… bansh…" stammered Karl fearfully.

"A what?" thundered Bob in hot anger.

"It was a banshee," said Shawn, trying to maintain his calmness, "This Kirlia ghost, dressed as a bride, came to us and demanded the return of several presents her dead lover had left in her grave." Bob could not believe what he was hearing and hung his head low despairingly.

"You two had better be joking…" warned Bob angrily.

"But it's true!" said Shawn with pleading eyes, "She had me bring her the eight artifacts on display that had been recovered from those underground ruins not far from the city! She said she'd eat our souls if we didn't do as she ordered!"

"I told you ghosts were real," said Kile bluntly.

"I seriously doubt you two lunkheads saw anything," said Bob, "On the other hand, something about the last several minutes is suspicious. I can't figure out what caused the power outage or why Kile and I got locked in the control room."

"The door did open on its own too, after the power came back on," said an amazed Kile, "That sure was strange."

"So, a Pokémon or some sort of spirit made off with some of the exhibits. At any rate, how are we going to explain the missing artifacts to the curator? He'll never believe that a banshee made off with them," said Bob to his cohorts. The four men glanced at each other nervously.

"I hope we don't get fired over this…" murmured Kile with dread. Meanwhile, K-1 was again at the controls of the _Titan_. The massive vehicle slowly lifted off the museum's sprawling front lawn and into the sky. In the navigator's chair sat Gremlin and Crystal. The smiling Sableye and Kirlia in wedding attire were locked in a passionate embrace. Much to Crystal's delight, Gremlin had changed her skin back to its normal color in mere moments. As for her hair, it was still very long but now it was its normal light-blue color instead of pure white.

"That was a very impressive performance," remarked G6 to the newlywed Pokémon, "I think Gengar the Great would have been pleased with how that excursion turned out."

"I would agree," cackled Gremlin, smiling at his lovely Kirlia wife, "You were wonderful darling. You practically scared that one man clean out of his wits."

"All thanks to you, my love," giggled Crystal, blushing slightly while she and Gremlin held each other close, "Your illusions were perfect. They actually thought I was a banshee!"

"A very cute and pretty banshee," said Gremlin with a smirk. Crystal laughed warmly and held tightly onto her grinning mate.

"You have such a way with words," said Crystal with a smirk.

"At least we got out of there without much trouble," stated K-1 happily "Still, the biggest challenge lies ahead. We have the Grand Museum of Alakaz to deal with and I can assure you all: this last stop is going to be the most dangerous of all." The Sableye, Kirlia, robot and golem said not another word as they drifted silently and stealthily over the city of Alakaz.

"I sure hope we know what we're doing…" thought K-1 with dread. A mere half hour passed before the feline, bipedal robot caught sight of his group's final destination. The Grand Museum of Alakaz was easy to pick out on the brightly-lit horizon of the vast metropolis. The 5-story building itself, which was larger than the other two museums combined, was made of red masonry with white marble accents. Large windows were set into the walls at every level and on all sides of the building. Since it was nighttime, the museum's many vast chambers were dimly lit. Much to K-1's dismay, the museum was located in the midst of several skyscrapers. Since there was no courtyard at the front of the building and no gardens or other open spaces at the rear of the museum, K-1 was going to have to land the S-5 on the roof.

"Easy does it…" said K-1 to himself while he expertly piloted the hulking _Titan_ between several tall buildings, setting his sights on the museum's flat roof.

"I'm glad no one can see us," said Crystal cheerfully, "No one should notice this great flying machine unless they bump into it." K-1 began a slow, controlled descent towards the museum.

"Or so we hope," said a nervous K-1, "I'm going to have to keep the S-5 in hover-mode. I highly doubt the roof will support over 100 tons of weight."

"How come this vehicle weighs so much, K-1?" asked an inquisitive Gremlin. The robot paused for a moment, quickly accessing his databanks as the bottom of the S-5 came to a stop just a foot away from the top of the museum.

"That information is not classified," replied K-1, "So here's the deal. This craft is designed for the quick transportation of up to 1,000 tons of cargo. The cargo bay itself measures at 30 feet wide, 70 feet long and 25 feet tall. We can accommodate everything from shipping containers and crates to hundreds of military personnel and heavy vehicles, like tanks. The S-5 has a maximum speed of 750 miles per hour, just under the speed of sound, with a maximum flight ceiling of 25,000 feet."

"That sounds… very impressive," remarked Gremlin with amazement.

"But that's not all," continued K-1, "This vehicle is designed to transport goods, vehicles or personnel in combat situations. The exact armor composition is classified information; but I can tell you that every inch of the hull is covered with 8 inches of solid metal. As for the huge, transparent covering for the cockpit, it is made from a single piece of compressed, flawless, synthetic diamond, 8 inches thick for maximum strength. Lastly, the S-5 Heavy Carrier can be used for air-to-air or ground-to-air combat in an attack or defensive role. Perhaps you've noticed the large blaster turrets located in the center areas of the top and bottom of this cruiser?" Gremlin and Crystal nodded their heads in reply.

"Well, those turrets combined cover the S-5 in all directions. With no blind spots in coverage, you can effectively attack and defend against air or ground targets with those Extended-Range Level 6 Quad Turbo Plasma Cannons. Lastly, for large or slow-moving ground or air targets, there are the fixed, front-mounted Extended-Range Level-8 Plasma Cannons. They may not fire nearly as fast as the turrets, but they have five times the range and pack a much bigger punch," explained K-1, "Lastly, Class-7 energy shield generators and a complex jamming array give this vehicle a most effective first line of defense. Just trying to pick this thing up on radar or infrared scanners is impossible so long as the jamming array is operational."

"Sounds like this engine of war is practically invincible!" remarked an awestruck Gremlin.

"Not so," said K-1 as the _Titan__'__s_ engines began to power down, "In my home world, there are plenty of other ships and fighters, meant either for atmospheric or space combat, which could easily overwhelm and destroy an S-5. Besides, this vehicle was originally designed for use as a means to transport large amounts of cargo through the air. The weapons, jamming array and heavy armor were only added for considerable protection."

"This is all… very fascinating," said a rather confused G6, "But shouldn't we focus on the task at hand?"

"Ah, right…" said a slightly embarrassed K-1: his tone of voice turning into a much more serious one, "I don't think I have to reiterate on just how dangerous reclaiming the rest of the artifacts is going to be from this museum." K-1 paused when the sound of metal softly scraping against metal quickly made the two-legged robot turn his gaze upon Gremlin and Crystal. The young Kirlia was smiling and blushing, sitting in the Sableye's lap as Gremlin slowly and carefully carved a few new runes with his claws into her gold and diamond pendant. Crystal's lace veil and sparkling tiara were lying on the control panel in front of her and the loving Sableye.

"Tell me, my love: are you pleased with the new length of your hair? I think you look very nice," asked Gremlin tenderly. Crystal looked behind herself, taking a long gaze at her long blue hair, which now reached down to a few inches below her waist. The newlywed Kirlia giggled happily and quickly turned her attention back to her mate.

"I would agree that having my hair at floor-length was a bit much," said a very cheerful Crystal, "I think it looks very nice having my hair end just below my waist."

"Very well, my little ballerina," cackled Gremlin as he made a few quick motions with his right hand against his wife's pendant. The Sableye took one last close look at the beautiful piece of jewelry and nodded his head appreciatively.

"That should do the trick," said Gremlin confidently, "Now your new hair won't vanish when sunlight comes in contact with it." K-1 stood still while tapping his left foot against the metal floor of the cockpit impatiently as the Sableye tenderly tied back the Kirlia's hair with a white bow and ribbon. The bow now rested on the back of Crystal's head, keeping her lengthy hair in check. Finally, Gremlin ever so tenderly picked up and slid Crystal's wedding tiara and veil back into her hair.

"Are you quite finished?" asked an annoyed K-1.

"As a matter of fact…" said Crystal.

"No!" interrupted Gremlin, leaning forward to quickly kiss his wife right on her lips. The two newlyweds had their eyes closed and were smiling while they kissed. A few minutes later, Gremlin finally leaned back away from Crystal, breaking the kiss.

"Now we're finished!" cackled a smirking Gremlin.

"I love you…" said Crystal with a blissful smile.

"Good," said a rather irritated K-1, "Anyway, I parked the _Titan_ so the rear doors would be facing the only access point from the museum's roof to the interior floors below: a stairwell, enclosed in its own small building up here on the roof."

"So, what is your plan?" asked G6 with curiosity.

"Well, I should be able to hack the electronic locks to every door in the stairwell," replied a wary K-1, "But that's going to be the easy part. From then onward, there are several more obstacles in our way: cameras, motion sensors and infrared beam tripwires are located at key points all about the stairway. They should not be very difficult to bypass or disable. However, once we actually gain access to the museum exhibit floors, things will really start to get interesting."

"How will we get into the museum unnoticed?" asked Crystal.

"To answer your question, our first objective is on the third floor, two floors down from our current location," explained K-1, "Although the museum's security network is broken up into five distinct zones; one for each floor, there is one Achilles' heel in the system. The one weakness is how all the security defenses, from cameras and motion sensors to name a few, link up to a single control room at the very center of the third floor's layout. Sadly, entering the control room itself will be impossible. There are always at least two guards stationed in the control room at any time and it only takes one to trip the alarms. I do have a procedure which should bypass this problem."

"Which is…?" asked a somewhat worried Crystal.

"Why, all I have to do is patch into the input wiring which leads from the security system to the control room. From there, I can disable all the motion sensors, shut off all the infrared tripwires, deactivate all the alarms in the museum itself and on all the exhibits and display cases: whilst I broadcast bogus data into the camera feeds," explained K-1.

"What do you mean by 'Bogus Data,' K-1?" asked a perplexed Gremlin. K-1 glanced over at Gremlin with a grin on his face.

"Basically, I'll make images display on all the cameras' monitors in the control room. All those two guards will see is still images of every single camera vantage point in the museum that show the chambers free of any humans and us, for that matter. This way, no one in the control room will be aware of our presence," replied K-1, "In addition, we can use black spray paint to cover the lenses of all the security cameras so when I do disconnect from the camera feeds, the people in the control room will be completely blind as we make our escape."

"What about the guards?" asked Crystal, "You said several patrol the museum at all hours: wow are we going to get passed them?"

"Well, just getting into the security network is going to be a challenge," admitted K-1, "Once I've hacked the security system, it will be up to you and Gremlin to take care of the guards. I would recommend using Hypnosis on the lot of them. Then, just tie up the guards, cover their mouths with duct tape and stuff them in a broom closet or something. Once all the guards have been taken care of, it will be up to you three, Gremlin, Crystal and G6: to recover the Ghost Forme artifacts. Since I will have the alarms tied up, you won't have any problem getting into the exhibits and, most importantly, without drawing unwanted attention to yourselves."

"You sound so confident and calm about all of this," remarked Crystal. Gremlin nodded his head in agreement with his wife.

"Especially the part where we knock out the guards, tie them up and then stuff the lot of them into the nearest closet," cackled Gremlin with a big smirk on his face.

"I'm being calm because a lot is at stake here. Plus, I actually am not very confident we will succeed in this final excursion," admitted K-1 matter-of-factly, "Nonetheless, we have a job to do. There is no telling what might happen if scientists, researchers or other humans were to intentionally or accidentally activate any of Gengar the Great's artifacts."

"Which is why we must succeed," said a determined G6.

"Agreed," said K-1, "Since we have arrived undetected, the first phase of this 'Mission' can commence." K-1 stood up from the pilot's chair of the S-5 and leisurely started walking towards the entryway at the back of the large cockpit.

"Ah. That would be you going to deactivate the alarms, the security system and cameras, K-1," said Crystal.

"Correct," said K-1 as he walked through the dark entryway. No one in the cockpit said a word when they soon heard several soft metallic thuds from the short adjoining hallway.

"Hold on," said Gremlin with a frown, "How are we going to know when it's safe to enter the museum?"

"With these," said K-1 nonchalantly from the darkened hallway. Gremlin, Crystal and even G6 were taken aback when three of K-1's arms extended from out of the darkness. The metallic limbs had surprising range as each one reached out to within a foot of the Sableye, Kirlia and Golem's faces. Clasped gently in each hand was a small radio headset.

"Please, put on those radios," asked K-1 as his seemingly-impossibly long arms retreated out of the cockpit, "They are already activated and on the right channel." Without a word, the stunned Pokémon and arcane automaton did as K-1 requested.

"How long do you think it will take until Gremlin and I can begin phase 2 of our mission and deal with the museum's security guards?" asked a curious Crystal.

"Well, the guards make regular patrols throughout the museum every hour," explained K-1, a soft metallic "Click!" emanating from beyond the darkened entryway of the cockpit as the doors on the robot's chest closed, "Therefore, it will take at least two hours in order for me to record their patrol routes through the museum's camera system. Once I have that information I'll broadcast the false data through the camera feeds, which should keep the operators in the control room oblivious to our presence." Gremlin's jaw hung low from shock.

"You mean we're going to have to wait here in the S-5 for at least two hours?" asked the despairing Sableye, "What are we supposed to do in the meantime?"

"I would suggest studying," replied K-1 cheerfully, "After all, we still have Gengar the Great's personal library in the cargo hold." Despite K-1's answer, the Sableye's disposition had not improved in the least.

"Have you forgotten that I can't read the written form of Ghost?" demanded Gremlin with stark irritation in his voice.

"G6? Surely you know how to read the ghost language, do you not?" asked K-1, his voice becoming softer while he walked further and further down the hallway.

"I… I guess I could teach Gremlin and Crystal how to read the written language of the Ghost Pokémon while we wait for your signal to proceed into the museum," said G6, "Although…"

"No 'Ifs', 'Ands' or 'Buts' on this G6," said K-1 firmly, yet also in very reassuring manner, "I'm quite confident you will be a very good teacher to our good friends."

"Very well," said G6, fixating his glowing blue eye upon Gremlin and Crystal, "You heard K-1. Let's head to this… 'Ship's' cargo bay and begin your lessons."

"I guess we'll have to start sooner or later," said Gremlin whilst shrugging his shoulders, "Though, to be honest, I was never a big fan of schoolwork." Crystal nodded her head in reply with a nervous smile on her face.

"That's why I became a dancer," giggled Crystal. While the newlywed Sableye and Kirlia made their way towards the back end of the large airship with G6 not far behind, K-1 had just left the _Titan_via a door on the lowest level and on the left side of the S-5. K-1 glanced cautiously left and right about the darkened rooftop, his keen eyes easily picking out the finest details all around him.

"Full spectrum mode engaged," thought K-1. In an instant, his vision became inundated with a myriad of colors and shapes. To anyone without sufficient training, such a view would sicken just about anyone, but to a highly-tuned machine like K-1, he could easily make out everything that was about him while using his infrared, night vision, ultraviolet and even X-ray scopes all at once. Practically nothing could escape his detection. Initials scans of the rooftop looked very promising as there seemed to be no cameras or security sensors of any kind on the roof as far as K-1 could tell. Granted, if there had been any such devices on the top of the museum, K-1 would have been spotted the moment he opened the door of the cloaked S-5. Certainly, the guards in the control room would have not hesitated to sound the alarms at the sight of a door, seemingly opening to reveal a passageway out of thin air. The robot, with its large feline-shaped head, turned its gaze upon a single doorway, built into a small building that contained the only stairwell in the museum with access to the roof.

"Picking this lock is going to be the only easy part of this little trip," thought K-1 as he quietly walked up to the door. The robot's computerized clock now read 1:35 AM and K-1 was more than a little anxious to have this last… "Reclamation Mission" completed well before the sun would start to rise over Alakaz.

"It's a good thing Mack worked so hard and long at programming and repairing me the day my remains landed on Earth," thought K-1 as his chest panels again slid open, "No telling the horrible things I could have been programmed to do if I had fallen into the wrong hands…" Several pairs of prehensile cables extended from the darkness of K-1's chest compartment. The wires suddenly shot forward, ramming themselves into the electronic security panel on the left side of the door. It took mere moments for K-1 to disable the lock and then withdraw the cables back into his chest. The twin, segmented doors closed quietly and the once-locked door seemed to suddenly open on its own. K-1 peered into the dimly-lit area beyond the doorway. Much to his relief, there were no cameras in the stairwell, which was troubling. As K-1 stepped into the museum's only point of roof access from the ground floors, he quickly noticed a mount where a security camera had either once stood or had never been installed.

"Most perplexing…" thought K-1, stepping into the stairway with the door closing right behind him, "Why would the museum curator purposely have such a blatant hole in the security system?" Undaunted, the robot cautiously made his way down the stairwell. Much to his surprise, as he made his way down to the museum's second floor, he saw more unused camera mounts at various places on the walls where no sane person would ever dare leave a blind spot in their video surveillance system. Still, this did not strike K-1 nearly as strange as the fact that all the motion sensors and infrared tripwires had been disabled.

"It's like these bozos are just asking to be robbed…" thought K-1. The robot came to a sudden stop in his tracks. Worried, he paused and began to quickly run complex calculations in his mind that would confound even the best mathematicians who had ever lived. K-1's databanks quickly came to a conclusion.

"Perhaps the curator of this museum is conducting a sting operation?" thought K-1. Upon a quick and thorough search through his memory, which took only milliseconds to complete, another answer was quickly reached in the robot's digital mind.

"No… that can't be it…" thought K-1, "I have no records of any criminals targeting museums in the Gardev Region or surrounding areas in the last few decades. Nonetheless, I better use a high degree of caution from here on until this 'Heist' is over." The robot continued his stealthy march down the stairway, utterly amazed at just how easy this phase of the operation was turning out. Soon, K-1 had arrived and defeated the electronic lock on a heavy steel door which opened up into a vast and expansive room. From what K-1 could gather, he had arrived at the museum's collection of prehistoric fossils: by far the largest in Gardev and all its neighboring regions. Huge skeletons of dinosaur-like Pokémon were mounted and on display throughout the entire floor space with more fossils in display cases running along the entire perimeter of the room. Full-scale fiberglass replicas of ancient, flying Pokémon hung from the ceiling, held in place by some very sturdy mounts and steel cables. With a quick scan, K-1 quickly discovered that not only were there no guards in the area and the surrounding rooms, but there was a also very blatant blind spot in the security system that led from the doorway of the stairwell all the way to the very spot in the far left corner of the room where K-1 needed to be. To top everything off, a huge painted fiberglass replica of an Aerodactyl, with its wings fully spread out, practically covered up the corner where K-1 would have to hack into the museum's security network. Needless to say, the bipedal robot was utterly aghast at such a discovery.

"This is almost too easy…" thought K-1, "I may not believe in fate, but I can't help but think this whole setup was purposely orchestrated… but by who… and why?" K-1 quickly returned his focus to the task at hand. The twin panels on the outer sides of his legs opened up, K-1 once again having his ion engines slide out and into position for flight. The engines were activated and they illuminated the immediate area with a soft, bluish light. A few seconds later, K-1 was lifting off the ground. His intricate sensors mapped out a flight map which would take him through the precise areas where the motion sensors, infrared traps and surveillance system would not see him.

"Talk about creepy…" is what K-1 was thinking as he sailed from one end of the massive chamber to the other, "I sure hope this isn't some kind of trap." The flying robot turned on his internal radio to contact his friends in the S-5.

"Gremlin? Crystal? G6? Do you read me?" said K-1's voice through the Sableye, Kirlia and golem's headsets.

"I hear you loud and clear," answered Gremlin, "How are things going in the museum?" G6 was rather surprised to suddenly be hearing K-1's voice, though the robot was certainly nowhere to be found in the _Titan__'__s_ cargo bay.

"These… 'Radios' are very fascinating," remarked an amazed G6, "You are not in this room, yet I can hear you as clearly as if you were standing next to me."

"I can try and explain how the headsets work later," said K-1 with dread evident in the robot's voice, "I think we may have a major problem here." Gremlin and Crystal exchanged looks of concern on their faces while G6 stood motionless.

"What do you mean, K-1? I don't hear any alarms from the museum going off," asked a now very worried Crystal, "Were you spotted by the guards? Or do you think you were seen by the cameras?" Gremlin and Crystal glanced at each other with horror, wondering if their mission to reclaim the Ghost Forme artifacts from this last museum had already failed. They waited for several tense moments before they again heard K-1's voice.

"Well…" said K-1 hesitantly, "You aren't going to believe this, but from what I could tell, all the cameras were either removed or never installed in the main stairwell from the roof. On top of that, all the sensors and alarmed traps had been deactivated, but things get even better from there." The Sableye and Kirlia spoke not a word and didn't move at all for several moments.

"For some reason, a full-sized replica of an Aerodactyl was mounted in just the right place to conceal where I will have to hack into the museum's security system," reported K-1 nervously, "I don't think someone was expecting us, but I am worried we might be walking into a trap of some kind." K-1 was now hovering behind the fake Aerodactyl, completely out of sight. He lifted his feet forward while his ion engines stayed pointed towards the ground in order to keep the robot steadily airborne. K-1 touched his feet against the wall, and then shut down the ion engines and had them slide back into the panels on the sides of his legs. K-1 couched towards the wall as his chest panel again opened up, revealing several sets of prehensile cables. The thick wires shot out from his chest and slid deep into the wall, though plaster, wood and even solid steel with ease.

"If you ask me, the holes in the security system seem to have been purposefully put in place," explained K-1, "I'm going to hack into the museum's security network now. I'll contact you when I have more information, when its time for the next phase of our operation to begin or if we need to retreat."

"Very well," said a worried Crystal, "Please be careful down there, K-1." The robot soon had his cables patched into every main wire of the security grid: or so he hoped.

"Affirmative. K-1 out," said K-1, starting to record images from every camera in the entire museum while the radio headsets worn by Gremlin, Crystal and G6 suddenly fell silent.


	13. Section 13

**-150-**

Suddenly, Mack was jolted awake. The male Guardian quickly sat up in bed, greeted by the darkness of his bedroom. He took several deep breaths as a cold sweat trickled down his face. Mack reached over with his right hand and turned on a lamp on a nearby nightstand. The darkness was replaced in an instant with dim illumination. Mack was rarely ever frightened; then again, he could not remember experiencing such a vivid nightmare in many years. The shaken male Gardevoir glanced at a digital alarm clock on his nightstand: the time was 3:13 AM. Mack was even more startled when he looked to his left and down at Aura's side of the bed, only to discover the lovely female Gardevoir was nowhere to be found.

"Where could she have gone…?" thought Mack. He threw the sheets aside, turned to his right, hanging his legs over the side of the bed and then gently set his feet down on the floor. Mack looked down at his shimmering white ballet slippers and ornate white dress, letting out a heavy sigh.

"To think I have to wear this outfit practically all day and night for at least another two weeks…" grumbled Mack to himself. The Guardian stood up and gently shook out his fluffy tutu. The somewhat scared and slightly annoyed male Gardevoir turned his gaze upon the nightstand to see his sparkling silver and diamond tiara resting on the oak furniture next to the lamp.

"The things I do to keep Aura happy," thought Mack, feeling much of his anxiety fade away as he slid the piece of jewelry into his soft green hair. Mack unfurled his wings, flapping them a few times before folding them up again behind his back.

"At least I'm not molting yet," thought Mack as a blissful smile then spread across his blushing face, "Then again, Aura does enjoy getting to preen my wings… Not to mention how much she likes it when I tend to her molting wings as well." The Guardian sighed blissfully, making his way towards the bedroom door.

"I have a hunch where Aura might be…" thought the male Gardevoir in traditional ballet attire. The Guardian of Gardev was soon walking down the quiet, dimly-it corridors of the large mansion. He stopped at the door to Warren's bedroom, only to make sure Warren was sleeping soundly. Sure enough, the mayor of Gardev was in a deep, peaceful rest as was William. The Pikachu was lying on his back on a bed of soft blankets resting in a large, wicker basket. Mack silently stepped forward and knelt down next to the sleeping rodent. The male Gardevoir smiled and gently pulled a warm blanket over William. The Pikachu squeaked happily, smiling in his sleep when he then turned onto his right side and now was facing away from Mack.

"Sleep well, little buddy…" whispered Mack softly, petting William's head tenderly a few times before standing back up and stealthily making his way out of the mayor's bedroom. Mack closed the door with utmost care as to not awaken Warren or William. The male Guardian returned his attention to finding his missing mate. Needless to say, Mack didn't have to look any further than the mansion's elaborate and spacious ballroom. The voluminous chamber was brightly lit as Mack walked down an adjoining hallway, leading straight towards the ballroom. The Guardian trained his eyes on the expansive wooden dance floor. As Mack had expected, Aura was twirling on her tip-toes in her sparkling ballet dress and slippers. Mack stood still in the doorway, not making a sound as his loving mate danced about in the ballroom for what seemed like over an hour. Aura had her eyes closed, humming a nameless tune to herself while performing a series of various ballet steps, poses and techniques. The young, female Gardevoir was a joy to watch: she was incredibly graceful with her flawless and fluid motions. Of course, Aura's white feathery wings and beautiful ballet dress only added to her beauty. The ballerina's tiara shone brightly in the well-lit ballroom as did her dress and white ballet slippers. Suddenly, Aura set her feet back down on the floor and quickly turned her head, gazing at Mack over her left shoulder. Mack was smiling, clapping his hands together with applause, once again amazed with his wife's wonderful dancing. Aura smiled back, blushing slightly as she turned her entire body to face her mate.

"How long have you been here?" asked Mack inquisitively, "Seems like it's much too early to begin the day, don't you think?" Aura giggled happily and made a few graceful leaps towards her mate, coming to a stop right in front of Mack. The male Guardian softy placed his hands on opposite sides of Aura's waist. In turn, Aura tenderly placed her hands on her mate's shoulders.

"Well?" asked Mack with a friendly smile. Aura merely closed her eyes, leaning forward to quickly kiss her beautiful male Gardevoir on his lips. After a few moments of passion, Aura leaned back slightly, breaking the kiss.

"What can I say?" giggled the delighted, yet slightly-embarrassed ballerina, "I just couldn't sleep, love. I'm just so happy and excited that I finally have my ballet tiara!" Mack chuckled warmly, taking a quick glance at the sparkling bejeweled tiara, resting on Aura's soft hair.

"Well, you certainly are a very beautiful and talented young dancer," remarked Mack tenderly, "A ballerina with a male Gardevoir who is much more than a little happy to be her mate."

"And I have you to thank with all my heart," said Aura with a sweet tone of voice, "Not only did you arrange for me to try and earn my tiara, but you joined me in the pursuit. Not only that, but you really want to dance with me. Before a few days ago, I never imagined you would do all of this: wear traditional Gardevoir ballet attire and earn your tiara as well, just so I could try and become a ballet teacher someday."

"Only for you, my princess," whispered Mack lovingly, moving his hands from Aura's back and then tenderly placing them on the sides of his wife's belly, "Don't forget, my love, I want to teach ballet at your side, not only to young Kirlias, but to our own children someday as well…" The smiling, blushing Guardians wrapped their arms around each other in a tight and very loving embrace. They kissed with immense passion, not wanting to let each other go: at least not for another few minutes or so. The light radiating from their pendants was bright enough to light up the entire ballroom with intense blue and red illumination. However, despite the intensely romantic moment, Aura could tell that something was bothering her loving husband. The ballerina slowly ended the kiss, the light from her and Mack's pendants vanishing in an instant. Aura looked into her mate's eyes. She was still smiling and blushing at him. In a way, she was trying to make Mack feel more at ease and comfortable for something was greatly troubling her mate indeed.

"I wanted to ask…" said Aura tenderly, "I don't quite understand why you are up so early. Is something wrong?" Mack's blissful smile was gone in an instant, as was the red complexion in his cheeks. The winged, male Guardian drew a deep breath.

"Well…" said Mack hesitantly, still holding Aura close with a tight embrace, "I think I better tell you what happened." With that, the Guardians of Gardev took a seat next to each other on the hard, well-polished dance floor. They held hands and leaned next to each other to be close to one another.

"Take your time, love," said Aura tenderly, looking up at her husband's face, "Whatever it is, you can talk to me about it."

"Thank you, my princess," said Mack with a loving tone of voice, pausing for a few moments to take a few deep breaths before speaking again, "I had a horrible nightmare, Aura." The young ballerina nodded her head with understanding.

"In my dream, I was standing on top one of the foothills towards the eastern edge of the Gardev Mountain Range," explained Mack, comforted greatly by his wife's presence, "I was staring towards the city of Alakaz on the horizon. The city was quite beautiful: in fact, it looked a lot different from the way the city looks now. There were taller buildings and everything seemed like it had been built by a civilization more technologically advanced than the humans who inhabit this world currently are. I felt like I was looking at the future of Alakaz."

"That's interesting," remarked Aura with a friendly smile.

"It was quite a sight, but in an instant…" said Mack with building dread in his voice, "…everything changed. There suddenly was a bright flash of light that blinded me. The light was only there for maybe a second or two. When the intense glare disappeared, the landscape all around me, as far as the eye could see, had changed all of a sudden. The Gardev Mountains were bare with blackened ground: all the trees had been stripped away and the glaciers on the snow-capped peaks had completely vanished. The sky was dark with threatening-looking clouds. Only an occasional flash of lightning with a distant boom of thunder shattered the relative silence of the area. From time to time, a gust of wind would blow about me. I could see no one or nothing that was alive. Now even so much as grass."

"Dear, that sounds terrible…" said Aura with a slight shudder.

"Things only got worse the more I looked around at my surroundings," explained Mack fearfully, "I turned my gaze towards Mt. Ivory. All I saw was a gigantic crater at the summit of the much shorter mountain with not a trace of Olympus. I was very shocked: absolutely overwhelmed by the destruction all around me. Even from where I stood, I could make out the very location of Gardev in the mountain valleys. All I could see from my vantage point were charred ruins in the distance." Aura leaned against Mack, slightly tightening her hold on her mate's hands as the male Gardevoir began to cry.

"Everything was destroyed, Aura! Nothing had survived the horrible devastation which had been unleashed upon the land!" said Mack, sobbing with bitter grief, "There was only one place as far as I could see that had been spared…"

"Alakaz?" asked Aura softly. Mack nodded his head once in reply.

"Yes," answered Mack, "But something was odd about the city… the tall, gleaming buildings were no more. Instead, what looked like a gigantic metal fortress, surrounded by huge walls, loomed over the horizon. I was mystified at this sight, wondering how anyone or anything could have survived, let alone thrived in such a wasteland. At that time, I felt myself being pulled towards the metal fortress with incredible speed, all while more blinding light overwhelmed my vision. The glaring illumination soon abated and I found myself standing at the foot of one of the massive skyscrapers in the middle of Alakaz. From what I could tell, I had been transported back to when Alakaz was at its peek. I looked up towards the large sign attached to the front of the skyscraper, right above the main entryway."

"What did the sign say?" asked a curious Aura. Mack let go of Aura's hands for a moment, only to wipe the tears off his face.

"It read 'Allens Corporation'," replied Mack, "There was also a marquee, made up of thousands of small lights. Obviously, this retro-styled flicker board was used to display messages at the front of the building. The date was soon crawling its way across the flicker board: that date was Thursday, December 31st, 2099."

"Now, that's just creepy…" said a now very uneasy Aura.

"Sadly, my nightmare was far from over," said Mack, taking yet another deep breath, "In a matter of moments, the bright daylight from the afternoon sunshine was replaced with the darkness of a cloudless nighttime sky. The marquee of the Allens Corporation building was counting down to the New Year. The date was still December 31st of the year 2099 and the time was 11:59 PM. A large crowd had gathered in the streets of Alakaz: hundreds of thousands of people and their Pokémon were ready to party in celebration of the coming new century." Aura let go of her mate's hands and wrapped her arms around Mack's torso, holding him tightly, letting him know she was there for him as her husband again began to weep.

"The clock struck midnight…" said Mack dreadfully, "It was now January 1st, 2100 at 12:00 AM. Everyone in the streets was now celebrating the arrival of the New Year. Then, I looked up towards the sky when the entire crowd fell silent. They all had their eyes fixated on the dark sky as several trails of smoke appeared on the horizons in every direction. Moments later, the unmistakable sounds of air raid sirens and all kinds of alarms were sounding as bedlam broke out on the streets of Alakaz. Everyone was running left and right in a panic as the smoke trails came ever closer to the city…" Aura was terrified, hearing the description of her mate's surreal nightmare.

"There were hundreds of bright flashes on the horizon," continued Mack, comforted only by his wife's presence and gentle touch, "From what I could gather, many powerful explosions were going off all around. I turned around fast with my gaze now falling upon the summit of Mt. Ivory. The streets of Alakaz had been cleared in an instant and I heard nothing but a terrifying silence as one of the smoke trails made its descent towards the snow-capped peak. I shielded my eyes reflexively with my hands from a light, brighter than the sun…"

"Wait!" said Aura, now more terrified than before, "Are you talking about a nuclear weapon wiping out Olympus?"

"I'm afraid so…" said Mack with a whimper, "The intense light eventually faded, revealing a huge mushroom cloud overtaking the mountainous horizon. I looked around towards the other horizons through the gaps in the buildings: all I saw were more mushroom clouds in the distance as several distant, thundering "Booms!" echoed out from all around. I looked up to see what appeared to be another missile, heading straight towards the southern edge of Alakaz from high up above. As the powerful weapon descended towards the city, my vision became black for several horrible seconds. There was no sound and I could not see even my hand in front of my face in the thick darkness." Aura was incredibly scared at the description of her mate's dream. She couldn't believe what she was hearing at all.

"Suddenly, the city of Alakaz reappeared and I could suddenly hear strong winds and the roar of fire as I again stood where I was during the New Year's celebration. All the buildings had been leveled to the ground and fires were burning all about the city. I could now see the horizon in all directions: all my eyes beheld were billowing clouds of smoke in the distance," said Mack hesitantly, "Then; unexpectedly, the ruins of Alakaz were suddenly replaced with streets made of metal and many, many shorter buildings, maybe no taller than four stories, clustered around the gigantic fortress I had seen before standing in the place of the once gleaming city of Alakaz. An eerie silence fell over the entire area. I then felt myself floating through the air with great speed once again towards the fortress. My vision went black once again, but for only a few moments before I could then clearly see what looked like some kind of massive control room. There were huge computers, view-screens and control panels everywhere." Aura kept her eyes open, focusing all her attention on her husband's words, not wanting to even try to imagine what Mack had seen in his dreams not long ago.

"There was a large view screen and control console in front of me, roughly twenty yards away," said Mack, continuing his story, "It looked just like the main control console and view screen I have for interfacing directly with the super-computer in my lab underground and its artificial sentience program, Central. A black chair with a high back was in front of the main control panel and I could see that someone was definitely sitting in the chair. The computer screen suddenly flickered to life and it spoke with Central's voice saying, 'Sir… our special guest has arrived.' The chair slowly spun around, taking several minutes until the being sitting in the chair was facing me."

"Who was it?" asked Aura fearfully.

"It was…" started Mack, his eyes tightly closed, "…Me…"

"How… how can that be…?" asked Aura with utter disbelief, "How could you have been responsible for the destruction of Olympus, Alakaz… No! The whole world?"

"The creature looked just like me when I was in my anthropomorphic fox form," explained a grieving Mack, "He smiled at me: not in an unnerving or evil manner, but in a very friendly way. 'I could never have come this far without you,' is what… I was saying. 'Your final failure has sealed this world's fate and soon, I will be able to journey to worlds beyond the stars and this dimension. Believe me; I shall enjoy conquering your home world, raining destruction down upon your friends and family.' The happy, peaceful expression on the fox's face was soon replaced with an evil grin. 'At last, my spirit finally has a new home, thanks to your body.' The moment he finished his statement, a dark cloud of smoke enveloped the area around me. I couldn't see anything until the vile fog had cleared."

"No… No! That must have been Shadow Mack!" said Aura, no longer doubting her husband's words, "Dare I ask what you saw next…?"

"I saw… you…" replied Mack, "You were now an anthropomorphic vixen and you were wearing your wedding attire, only it was now a sparkling and shimmering black instead of white. You had a blank expression on your face as Shadow Mack glanced towards you and then said, 'Not to worry, I shall take good care of your love. If I'm going to conquer this world and the ones beyond, I won't be able to do so by myself. Believe me; our children will be all too happy to crush anyone who gets in our way.' Shadow Mack then turned his horrid expression towards me. 'And I never would have gotten this far without you… friend…' Shadow Mack slowly stepped towards me, holding his right hand out as if he wanted to shake my hand. 'Thank you… thank you… thank you…' is what he kept saying over and over as he drew ever closer to me." Aura shook her head back and forth vigorously, now wishing she had not asked Mack to tell her about his nightmare. However, Mack was too enthralled with telling about his dream to notice his mate's increasing fear and disgust.

"It was as if the world was moving in slow motion as Shadow Mack came towards me," said Mack, his gaze fixed on something off in the distance, "I watched as the fur on his face began to slowly fall to the ground. Next, the very flesh on his face began to rot and drop to the floor in purple globs, revealing a horrid, grimacing skull… it opened its mouth, filled with sharp, pointed teeth. Maniacal laughter erupted from Shadow Mack's skeletonized mouth as he held out both of his arms, now nothing but bones with outstretched fingers towards me. He kept laughing, thanking me over and over again… Shadow Mack then leapt towards me as if he was going to pounce on me; his face was soon just inches away from my own when darkness suddenly overtook me… It was only then when I awoke…" Aura looked up at Mack's face. His eyes were opened wide, his jaw hung slack as he sat completely motionless on the wooden dance floor.

"…He kept thanking me… thanking me…" said Mack repeatedly, "Yes… you're welcome… Shadow Mack… you're welcome…" Aura was now utterly terrified as she grabbed onto her mate's shoulders and shook him as hard as she could.

"Mack! Love! Can you hear me? Snap out of it!" screamed Aura frantically. But for some reason, no matter hard she shook her mate and how loudly she yelled, she could not snap her mate out of the strange trance he was now locked in to. She looked down at Mack's neck and gasped with shock: her mate's sapphire and gold pendant was missing!

"I guess it was inevitable…" said Mack softly, staring out into space, "I won't fight you anymore… it's inevitable… you will win… No… you have won… take your prize… me…" Aura quickly collected herself and focused her power. The female Guardian's pendant began to glow with an intense red light. It was then when Aura saw a black field of energy surrounding her mate's body. Mack suddenly stood up and began to walk towards the massive window at the wall on the opposite side of the ballroom. Aura turned her gaze towards the huge window. She let out a bloodcurdling scream when she saw a pair of horrible, glowing red eyes glaring at her from the other side of the window. The shadowed creature turned its awful gaze upon Aura for but a moment before again fixing its eyes upon Mack.

"Behind… you…" said Mack weakly. Aura turned around fast to see her mate's pendant now lying on the opposite side of the ballroom on the floor. Without hesitation, Aura grasped onto the pendant with telekinesis, lifting it into the air and sent it flying towards her. Aura turned around towards her mate: he was now only a few feet away from the window and the malevolent, shadowed figure with its red eyes focused on Mack.

"Yes… I will soon be yours…" said Mack with a raspy voice. Suddenly, the horrible gaze from the red-eyed monster was replaced with a wide-eyed expression of fear as Mack's pendant floated over his head and then slid down around his neck. In an instant, the male Guardian was snapped out of the trance and the dark aura about his body vanished into thin air. Mack narrowed his eyes at the shadowed figure.

"I know you're here, Shadow Mack!" snarled Mack with utmost hatred, "Are you ready to face me now?" Aura ran up to her mate's side as the shadowed figure suddenly sprinted away towards the darkened forests beyond the mansion's backyard. At that moment, Mack and Aura gathered as much of their power as they could muster. The sapphire and ruby pendants around the Guardians' neck were blazing brightly with intense red and blue light. Suddenly, Mack and Aura thrust their arms forward with the fingers on their hands spread out as a gigantic beam of blinding white light shot forth from their hands, passed harmlessly through the massive window of the ballroom and towards the forest. An immense explosion rocked the entire village, instantly waking up every soul, human and Pokémon alike. Mack glanced at Aura with a serious look on his face. Aura, with an expression of great determination on her face, nodded her head in reply to an unspoken question. Without a word, the two Guardians of Gardev ran out of the mansion side-by-side. Once they were outdoors, they spread their majestic wings and took to the sky. Bright light was radiating from their hands as they flew towards the edge of the forest. They set foot on the ground at the edge of a large crater that had been blasted into the ground from their potent energies. Lying in the middle of the crater was a lone Houndoom.

"Aura! Look!" shouted Mack, pointing at a shiny object that was wrapped around the Houndoom's neck, "The Black Pendant!"

"Then let's end this now!" yelled Aura with hot anger. However, the moment the Guardians set foot in the crater, the entire area around them was suddenly obscured by a thick cloud of black smoke. Aura screamed from sheer terror while Mack covered his mouth, not wanting to breathe in the horrid smoke. The black cloud soon dissipated, vanishing without a trace and revealing nothing but an empty crater.

"Oh, no! This! This can't be!" said a disbelieving Mack, dropping to his knees from stark frustration, "How… how could he have gotten away so easily…? We had him… we had Shadow Mack in the palms of our hands…" Aura stood motionless out of shock with her eyes opened wide.

"Mack… didn't you recognize that Houndoom…?" asked Aura weakly.

"Should… should I have?" stammered Mack, glancing over his right shoulder towards his wife.

"That was Jake's Houndoom," replied a completely unnerved Aura, "Remember, Mack…? He went missing not long after we defeated Dr. Namwen. The Black Pendant managed to escape us in that final battle against Cipher… and then… it ensnared Cedric…"

"Say what?" yelled an astonished Mack, "How could Shadow Mack have ensnared Cedric with the Black Pendant? He was our friend!"

"That is exactly why Shadow Mack forced him to bear the Black Pendant," said a wise and elderly voice from behind the Guardians. Mack and Aura turned around fast, their gaze falling upon Glacian and Gloria, the rulers of Olympus. They stood before the Guardians in their full royal splendor.

"What… what are you doing here?" asked Aura fearfully, "Why are you up so late…?" Glacian walked towards the female Guardian: he could easily tell that Aura's mind had been completely overwhelmed with shock, grief and sheer terror. Glacian tenderly held Aura's hands in his own.

"You can rest easy, Aura," said Glacian softly, "You and Mack are safe now." It took well over an hour for Warren, the mayor of Gardev, to reassure the few village residents that everything was now okay. The few dozen people who still called Gardev home were all too happy to get back to sleep, especially since all seemed to be well. However, they were blissfully unaware that things had just taken a most dire turn. Glacian, Gloria, Simon, William, Warren, Jake and Agatha were now having a meeting in the mansion's main dining room. They sat at the table as Mack and Aura told the story of the horrible events which had just taken place. Everyone at the table was shocked upon hearing about the Guardians' horrifying ordeal. Glacian was especially troubled at this turn of events.

"So… my dream of Mack falling to Shadow Mack was not a dream after all…" said Glacian with a scowl on his face.

"What are you talking about?" demanded Mack impatiently, "Since when did you know something like this was going to happen?" Glacian glared at the male Guardian.

"I woke up Gloria and then teleported her and myself to Gardev just minutes after waking up from my nightmare," said Glacian firmly, "We Pokémon may not believe in luck, but I think you are very fortunate at how this night has turned out."

"At least it's all over now," said Aura with a sigh of relief.

"On the contrary," said Glacian with dread, "I'm afraid this matter may be far from over. I never imagined that Shadow Mack would try something so brazen!"

"Nothing is beneath that monster, trust me," said Mack with an angry huff, "You may recall how Shadow Mack tried to kill the unborn child of King Cyrus and Queen Alexi when they were trying to purge Shadow Mack's spirit from the Black Pendant. The king and queen's advisors were all killed in their brave, yet foolhardy attempt to purify that evil relic."

"So it seems…" said Glacian, nodding his head a few times, "Nonetheless, I don't think any of you have any idea just how close we came to a disaster tonight. I can't imagine what would have happened if Mack had been possessed by the Black Pendant."

"I only wish I had been there to help Mack and Aura fight off that thing," said a disappointed Simon gruffly, "Maybe then we could have ended this living nightmare once and for all."

"Maybe so, but I would not be so hasty. After all, King Cyrus's advisors were all immensely powerful Gardevoirs and Shadow Mack slew them all with one swift stroke," said Glacian fearfully, "At any rate, we're going to have to be extra vigilant from now on. Shadow Mack could try and possess any of us next. It appears that wretched creature merely has to get close enough to someone in order to take over their mind and body."

"Well, that is quite true, but only to an extent," said Mack, instantly drawing the attention of everyone in the dining room. The sage Gardevoir king glanced at the Guardian with a hopeful expression on his face.

"Is that so?" asked a curious Glacian, "Please, elaborate."

"Indeed I shall," said Mack with a nod of his head, pausing for a few moments to collect himself and draw a couple deep breaths, "In general, Shadow Mack can take control of anyone by having contact between his spirit and his supposed target. However, Shadow Mack can only bond with someone easily who will help him carry out his plans, but also will willingly allow that dark spirit to posses him. With an alliance between Shadow Mack and his host body, the host gains incredible power. This has been the norm every time I end up traveling into another dimension: Shadow Mack follows me, finds a willing puppet and then he and said puppet attempt to destroy me."

"I see," said an understanding Glacian, "Shadow Mack can only take control of those who choose to do his bidding."

"But that would not explain how that vile creature was almost able to posses Mack," said Gloria, fear evident in her voice.

"Well…" continued Mack with a thoughtful look in his eyes, "There was one time where Shadow Mack managed to take control of someone who outright refused an alliance with my nemesis. On top of that, Shadow Mack's victim was someone I had befriended. From what I can tell, my old enemy overwhelmed my friend's mind, probably with horrifying images and sounds that only he could detect. Once Shadow Mack saw an opportunity to enter my friend's weakened mind, he did. From there, my nemesis proceeded to embark on yet another quest to annihilate me."

"What happened next?" asked a worried Aura. Mack glanced over at his concerned mate with a smile on his face.

"To make a long story short, I was eventually locked in combat with my friend. I wish I could remember his name: this happened thousands of years ago…" said Mack, the male Gardevoir stroking his chin with his left hand, "Anyway, I managed to defeat my possessed friend and I banished Shadow Mack's spirit from his body and mind. My friend survived the fight, which was actually the easiest battle I ever had against my persistent foe. Since then, Shadow Mack has never again tried to use anyone as an unwilling pawn in his schemes."

"Hmmm… I see…" said Glacian with some relief.

"That still doesn't explain why Shadow Mack tried to posses you through the Black Pendant, Guardian," said Simon, his sharp gaze fixed upon the winged male Gardevoir in ballet attire. Mack took another deep breath before he spoke again.

"Believe it or not, this is not the first time Shadow Mack has tried to posses my body and mind directly," admitted the Guardian, much to the surprise of everyone sitting at the table.

"Really?" exclaimed a wide-eyed Glacian, "Then how on Earth did you manage to defend yourself against his power? If Aura had not been with you in the ballroom, I doubt you would have been able to fend off his evil influence on your own."

"You are correct, your highness," said Mack bluntly, "Aura really did save my life earlier tonight. With memories of a horrific nightmare still fresh on my very distraught and despairing mind, this was the perfect time for my nemesis to strike. This is the third time Shadow Mack has tried to take control of me, which is why I make sure I am never alone. I always have had Central and K-1 at my side, as well as the few trusted friends I made in other worlds."

"Do you think Shadow Mack purposely filled your sleep with those horrid dreams so he could try and overpower your mind?" asked Aura. The male Gardevoir slowly swiveled his head back and forth in reply to his mate's question.

"Perhaps it is an omen of things to come?" suggested Glacian, "All Gardevoirs have the gift of foresight, Mack. Perhaps what you saw was an image of how things may turn out in the future?"

"That possibility crossed my mind," said Mack, shrugging his shoulders, "Though I find it much easier to believe all I was seeing was a vivid nightmare: nothing more."

"Well, I certainly have learned over time to be wary of dreams," said Glacian with a firm tone of voice, "I remember having a dream when I was a Kirlia which I would one day marry a ballet teacher." Gloria glanced over at her husband with a look of shock and bewilderment on her face.

"You never told me about that," said Gloria with a raised eyebrow, "Does this mean I somehow am destined to become a ballerina? I never was very good at ballet. I can't remember how many times I fell down in class before the teachers agreed ballet simply was not my forte and they let me take another class instead." Glacian merely chuckled warmly as he reached to his left side, gently taking up his queen's hands in his own.

"You are still a wonder on the dance floor whenever we waltz," said Glacian, "I believe what I saw was just a vain dream, imagined by a very young and immature male Kirlia."

"Aura did mention how being a good dancer is one way to get the attention of the opposite gender," said Mack with a smirk.

"That's very true," said Glacian with warm laughter. Everyone in the room laughed or at least cracked a smile: save for one rather irritated and also very tired Kabutops.

"Could we please get back on track here?" asked Simon impatiently, his eyes falling on Mack and Aura, "So, Mack: your adversary has tried multiple times to posses you."

"His only goal right now is to claim my body as his own in revenge for destroying his body in his home world," interrupted Mack, "That is the only reason why he continues to pursue me."

"That being said, I believe he will try again sooner or later to claim your body," cautioned Simon. The Kabutops turned his head to his left suddenly, taking a glance out one of the dinning room's bay windows. Simon could easily make out several dark shapes at the edge of the darkened forest.

"What do you see out there?" asked an alarmed Glacian.

"A group of several dozen Houndooms," replied Simon, narrowing his eyes at the Dark-Type Pokémon in the distance, "One of them is wearing a pendant around his neck."

"Most troubling…" said Glacian, "Not only is Cedric being controlled by the Black Pendant, but he appears to be a member of that Houndoom gang which has had control over the Gardev Vineyards for decades. To make things worse, they are out there right now, watching us…" Mack and Aura stood up from the table.

"Then we're going out there to finish this fight!" declared a very determined Mack. Aura nodded her head once in agreement.

"Are those Houndooms in the forest or are they standing on my property?" asked Warren with despair.

"They are right at the edge of the forest, inches away from your property boundary, why?" demanded Simon.

"Then Mack and Aura cannot fight them," said Warren with a sigh.

"What do you mean we can't go after those monsters?" asked Mack, his eyes opened wide with disbelief.

"Mack, Aura…" said Warren despairingly, "You are aware you both are the legal property of the current mayor of Gardev, which would be me, right?" The Guardians nodded their heads in reply.

"This means you must obey the laws of the land," explained Warren with a frown, "The land all around this village, including the famous vineyards, is included in the game preserve, which is spread out all over the mountains of this region. Any troublesome Pokémon who live outside the boundaries of the village may not be dealt with without an official permit, issued by the government."

"You must be joking…" said a disbelieving Simon, "You mean the Guardians of Gardev can't defend themselves against wild Pokémon unless they actually set foot in the borders of this village?"

"Sadly, that is the case," answered Warren with an angry scowl on his face, "The penalties are severe for 'Interfering' with the local wildlife. Unless dangerous Pokémon actually enter the village and pose a threat to life, limb and property, no one, with the exception of a Pokémon Ranger, may deal with troublesome wildlife without a permit. Mack, Aura: I don't like the way things are going or the laws that have been laid down, but I could go to jail for the rest of my life if you attack any Pokémon in the game preserve that are not posing a direct threat to the village and have actually crossed the border into town. In order for the Houndooms to be driven from the vineyards and way from the village, it would require an 'Act of Nature'."

"An act of nature…" said Glacian with a heavy sigh, "I have thought about retaking the vineyards for decades so my people and yours as well Warren, could partake of the finest wine grapes in the world. However, there are literally hundreds of Houndooms who now call the vineyards home. We Gardevoirs are weak against Dark-Type attacks. Even all the members of the Elite Guard in Olympus wouldn't stand a chance against them, despite the fact that Gallades have a type advantage over the Houndooms. Even if I sent highly-trained Gardevoirs into battle, including the entire royal family, hundreds of my people would be lost to those vicious brutes. Of course, the local Pokémon are too afraid to fight that Houndoom gang and I certainly do not blame them for their well-founded fear."

"Then why I don't I go out there and teach them a lesson?" asked Simon gruffly, "I don't belong to any human; thus, any actions I take could be considered, quote: 'An Act of Nature'."

"There are too many of them, Simon. You would be outnumbered over 300 to one," warned Glacian sternly.

"Bah! I've taken on entire armies of Pokémon in the past without much trouble," scoffed Simon.

"That will be enough!" thundered Glacian, standing up from the table, his voice fraught with hot anger, "Simon: you know as well as I you would not stand a chance against the Black Pendant. Even if you were to defeat any Houndoom which would defend Cedric, you would be killed very quickly by the power of that corrupted artifact. No doubt Cedric, since he now bears the Black Pendant, is the leader of those Houndooms. You would fight very bravely and die very quickly."

"If only you were mistaken," said Simon with an angry huff, "I admit: I would not be able to face them all head on, but I don't think Mack, Aura or any of us should have to live in fear, waiting for those vile cretins to step over an invisible line before you can defend yourselves."

"I hate to say this, Simon, but I don't like this any more than you do," said Mack calmly to the forlorn Kabutops, "As the Guardians of Gardev, Aura and I have to obey the laws of the land. If there was nothing holding us back, I would go into battle with you against the Houndooms."

"So would I," said Aura with affirmation. Glacian, the great Gardevoir king, sat back down in his seat at the dining room table without another word. His eyes were closed and the sage ruler had a smile on his face.

"Something on your mind, old friend?" asked a curious Warren.

"Yes…" replied Glacian calmly, "You may not be able to sense it, but those Houndooms are actually afraid of the Guardians. Mack and Aura's powers of light would cut them down with relative ease. Though the Guardians may not be able to engage those dark canines in battle, the power Mack and Aura posses is more than enough to keep them at bay should they foolishly attack the village. Should those adversaries cross the line, they will be fair game for the Guardians of Gardev."

"The more I think about it, I believe Shadow Mack is getting desperate," said Mack with confidence, "He made a failed attempt to ensnare my body and mind through the Black Pendant, but also with my wife at my side, ready to defend me if needed."

"You also were not wearing your pendant when Shadow Mack tried to posses you," said Aura, now feeling more cheerful, "The moment I got it back around your neck, you snapped out of that trance. Maybe the pendants offer some protection against the dark power of your enemy?" Glacian, agreeing wholeheartedly with Aura's observation, nodded his head.

"I would have to say so," said Glacian, feeling more relieved as time had passed: as was everyone else in the dining room.

"I don't think he'll try a move like that again," said Mack with a very firm and assured tone of voice.

"Agreed," said Glacian, his tone of voice shifting from one of cheerfulness to one of seriousness, "Nonetheless, we must be wary. I never imagined the Black Pendant would be so close to Gardev. Even if Shadow Mack is unable to face the Guardians in a fight, that artifact could still kill any of us quite easily."

"Maybe…" said Mack, "…but maybe not. To be honest, I don't think my adversary actually possesses the Black Pendant. Its power would be much greater if his spirit was locked in the gemstone at the pendant's core."

"You could be right," remarked Aura, "Even while Shadow Mack was trying to take control of your body and mind, you were still able to communicate with me, letting me know where your pendant was in the ballroom. It's like the Black Pendant is some kind of… extension of Shadow Mack's spirit."

"This wouldn't be the first time he has split his essence to try and get an edge over me," said Mack matter-of-factly.

"Well, it's getting late and I am still very tired, especially after this night's ordeal," said Glacian with a yawn, "We should all try and get some more sleep. However, I think Gloria and I can stay here for the rest of the night and most of tomorrow, just to be on the safe side."

"You know I'm not going to let anything happen to Mack and Aura or anyone else in this village so long as I reside here," said Simon, "I'll be paying a lot more attention to happenings in and around Gardev for at least the next month."

"I'll let the inhabitants of the village know of the threat those Houndoom posses and tell all the residents to be very cautious," said Warren.

"You know Angel and I are going to be on watch as well. After all, we are the relief Guardians of Gardev," said Ramirez.

"Then let us be careful in the days ahead and keep a close eye on one another," said a cautious Gloria. With that, Glacian and Gloria made their way towards an unoccupied room in the mansion not far from Mack and Aura's bedroom suite. Warren and Agatha returned to their rooms for the rest of the night, as did Simon. Ramirez happily carried Angel back to their room: the newlywed relief Guardians still adorned in their wedding splendor as a sign of celebration of their recent marriage. Soon, Mack and Aura were on their own in the dimly-lit dining room. Only after taking a glance into the dark forests beyond the edge of the village did Mack finally feel safe. The group of Houndooms had vanished into the night. Aura giggled happily as she stepped behind her mate and tightly wrapped her arms around him in yet another loving embrace.

"Let's go, love," said Aura sweetly, "We should get to bed so you can spend the rest of the night with a lovely ballerina in your arms." Mack chuckled warmly, blushing slightly as he spun about to face his wife, still locked in her tight embrace.

"As you wish, my princess," said Mack tenderly.

"Well?" asked Aura with a playful wink, "What are you waiting for, dear: a royal invitation, my pretty prince?"

"Actually," said Mack, smiling as he put his arms around his loving wife, "Yes." Aura closed her eyes, giggling with delight as Mack swept her off her feet and lovingly cradled her in his arms. Without another word, the Guardians of Gardev, adorned in shimmering ballet dresses, slippers and jeweled tiaras, made their way towards their bedroom for the night.

"I'm going to close the blinds in our room," said Mack softly to his blushing mate, "I think we deserve to sleep in for once after what we had to deal with." Aura, a blissful smile on her face, nodded her head in agreement. Outside the mansion, peering out from the edge of the dark woods was a single pair of glowing eyes: their gaze fixated upon the lavish Gardev mansion.

"I was so close…" thought Shadow Mack, in full control of Cedric the Houndoom's body, "I may never have such an opportunity ever again, especially as everyone in that mansion is now on to me."

"I said you would never succeed," said Cedric's voice happily from the mind of the possessed Houndoom, "Sooner or later, the Guardians are going to come for me. You know as well as I you don't have complete control over me!"

"I'll be sure to remedy that once I fully break your will!" snapped Shadow Mack angrily.

"Give it your best shot," taunted Cedric confidently, "Mack and Aura are my friends and I don't believe they would abandon me to a heartless monster like you!"

"Are you so sure?" asked Shadow Mack with a cruel chuckle, "They won't go out of the way to save you. So long as those laws I put through the Gardev Region Senate hold up, the Guardians will never willingly break the law to attack my small Houndoom army. Not if they have to put their precious mayor in danger."

"We'll see…" said Cedric with a harsh tone of voice, "I've been patiently waiting to be free of you for over 3 years and I can go another 100 if I have to."

"Be careful what you say, Cedric…" warned Shadow Mack with soft, evil laughter, "You may just get exactly what you speak of." As for Jake, the grandson of the current mayor of Gardev, he couldn't help but at least be happy that his faithful Houndoom companion was still alive, but also grieved.

"I hope Mack and Aura will be able to return Cedric to me and my family one of these days: as soon as they possibly can…" thought Jake despairingly, staring out into the dark forests which surrounded the small, almost abandoned village of Gardev.


	14. Section 14

**-151A-**

For Gremlin and Crystal, the last few hours had been very tense. Still, the pleasant company of Gengar the Great's Ghost-Forme Golem helped put the newlyweds at ease. While the two Pokémon and the ancient automaton waited anxiously for word from K-1, who was still down in the museum, G6 worked hard to teach the Sableye and his Kirlia wife how to read the vast Ghost-Type Pokémon alphabet. Although very nervous at first, G6 quickly discovered he was a great teacher after all. His students were very eager to learn from him as well. After spending only two hours with Gremlin and Crystal in the voluminous cargo bay of the S-5 _Titan_, the two lovers had already memorized the entire written language of the Ghost Pokémon.

"I must say," said an impressed and cheerful G6, "Gremlin, you and Crystal are quick learners. I'm very happy that this once-dead written dialect may soon be completely revived. To think I finally know two others who can read and write in the language of Ghost Pokémon." For the time being, Gremlin and Crystal were delving into the metal crates which contained the volumes from Gengar the Great's personal library. Crystal looked up from her book, turning her gaze upon the hulking Golem, standing not far from where she was sitting on the floor.

"G6?" asked Crystal happily and politely, "Does the written form of the Ghost Pokémon language have a name?" G6 stood still and silent for several moments. Soon, he was lifting his right hand towards his face to gently scratch at his metal chin.

"I have to be honest," said a perplexed G6, "I can't recall if the written form of Ghost was ever given a name."

"I find it stranger that, despite there being so many Ghost-Type Pokémon in the world, no one else knows how to read this language besides you G6, Crystal and me," noted Gremlin, looking up from his own book towards the arcane automaton.

"Well, Gengar himself came up with a written form of the language of Ghost Pokémon several millennia ago," stated G6, "Since this dialect was generally only used in the city of Twilight, the only Ghost Pokémon metropolis in the world, only the inhabitants of Twilight would ever strive to learn how to read and write in this rare language. Most of the residents of Twilight were lost in the Blight's devastating raid upon the city. Only a handful of books written in Gengar the Great's alphabet were taken from Twilight before the Blight drove the entire city underground. The rest of the books were sealed away in Gengar's tomb to keep them safe."

"That would explain how some of those books came into my father's possession," said an amazed Gremlin, "He has at least 14 books written in this dialect in his personal library."

"14 books you say?" said G6 happily, "That's good! Those were the only books to escape Twilight! Which means none of them were lost, destroyed or fell into the hands of the enemy."

"So… this written dialect was created by Gengar the Great in the legendary ghost Pokémon city of Twilight," said Crystal, a bright smile on the young Kirlia's face.

"Do you have a suggestion, Crystal?" asked an optimistic G6. The Kirlia closed her book and stood back up on her feet.

"Why don't we call this language 'Spekter'? We use a name that sounds much like a human word for ghosts, but by changing the 'c' into a 'k', we make the pronunciation stronger, thus making a new word at the same time." said Crystal cheerfully, shrugging her shoulders, "What do you think?" Gremlin nodded his head in appreciation at her suggestion.

"I think that's a perfect name," said Gremlin happily, "Well done, my love! You never cease to impress me."

"I would agree," remarked G6 with an appreciative nod, "Spekter shall be a perfect name." No sooner had G6 finished his statement when loud static and interference was heard for a few moments through the radio headsets worn by the three companions, causing Gremlin, Crystal and G6 to reflexively flinch.

"This is K-1. Can everyone hear me?" asked K-1 over the radio.

"We can hear you, alright," said an annoyed Gremlin, "I think you managed to scare everyone over here at the very least. What's going on down there?"

"Oh… sorry… I did not mean to startle you," said K-1 somberly, but his tone of voice quickly changed to a more mischievous one, "Still, I guess I should consider myself a master of fright if I really did manage to scare a Ghost Pokémon without really trying." While Gremlin was not amused, G6 was laughing under his breath and Crystal just barely managed to stifle her giggling.

"Anyway…" said the irritated and impatient Sableye, "Do you have something to report to us or not?"

"Yes, actually," said a very cheerful K-1, "I have all the video I needed to extract from the surveillance system. I'm preparing to shut down the sensor traps and alarms."

"That's great news!" said Crystal with glee.

"Very much agreed," said Gremlin, now in a better mood.

"However…" warned K-1, "There is no telling what may happen when I do shut down the entire security system. The alarms may all go off instantaneously; therefore, we had best prepare for a hasty retreat if things go badly."

"Anything else we should be aware of?" asked Crystal nervously.

"Yes," replied K-1 thorough his onboard radio, "The entire museum is dimly-lit right now, so you will have to exercise extreme caution when dealing with the security guards. I could darken the museum by cutting the power, but that would most likely throw the guards into a panic. There are several manually-activated alarm panels throughout the museum and I can't seem to patch into them from my location. No doubt they are independent from the rest of the security system."

"Wouldn't want our little party to be over too soon," cackled a very confident Gremlin, "Any advice on how we should proceed?"

"Well, I believe G6 should stay with the S-5 until we have the museum secure for our reclamation operation since it will be much too difficult for him to be stealthy," suggested K-1, "As for you, Gremlin, and Crystal: I would suggest ambushing the guards, but instead of trying to scare them you had best try and knock them out through hypnosis or other means. You have to make silent-knockdowns for any screaming or yelling will probably get the attention of the other guards. They tend to go on patrol in pairs, so a coordinated effort would be the only solution."

"I guess that makes sense," said Crystal with understanding.

"Then we get to stuff them into closets or anywhere else the unconscious guards will fit," cackled an excited Gremlin.

"You sound far too enthusiastic about this…" grumbled K-1 with slight annoyance in his voice, "This is a very serious matter."

"Perhaps acting goofy and unhinged is Gremlin's way of coping with tense situations?" suggested G6 bluntly.

"Yep!" laughed a surprisingly-agreeable Gremlin.

"I think we're ready to begin the mission," giggled Crystal.

"Roger that," said K-1 confidently, "Okay… I'm now shutting down all the alarms and sensor traps." Gremlin, Crystal and G6 waited silently and moved not a muscle for several apprehensive moments until K-1 began to speak once again.

"Okay. All alarms are deactivated, the camera system has been bypassed and, from what I can tell, the two operators in the security control room are completely unaware, as are their 10 patrolling cohorts," reported a very happy and relieved K-1, "Gremlin, Crystal: its time to make your move. You know what do from here." The newlywed Sableye and Kirlia smiled at one another as they joined hands.

"Shall we dance, my love?" asked Crystal with a smirk on her face and her wedding attire sparkling in the bright lights of the _Titan__'__s_ cargo bay. Gremlin, the wedding dress-wearing Sableye, grinned and chuckled at his mate.

"Yes, my dear…" cackled Gremlin in an unnerving yet loving manner, "Let's go have some fun." G6 was rather startled when he saw the married Sableye and Kirlia suddenly drop through the metal floor of the S-5 and out of sight.

"I wish I could do that…" muttered G6 under his breath. K-1 couldn't help but smile when he saw Gremlin and Crystal slip through the ceiling, as if it were nothing but thin air, and then the two Pokémon slowly descended towards the floor.

"Smile," said a grinning K-1, chuckling warmly through his radio, "You're on Candid Camera." The petticoats under the skirts of the newlywed Sableye and Kirlia rustled ever so softly the moment they touched down on the polished marble floor.

"Very funny, K-1," giggled an amused Crystal very quietly.

"So, where are we anyway?" whispered Gremlin into his radio headset, "I don't recognize this room from the floor plan."

"Perhaps you and Crystal were too busy looking at each other to notice that you skipped right through the 3rd floor?" laughed K-1. The robot quickly stifled his laughter.

"At any rate, you are now on the 2nd floor and in the middle of the archeology exhibit," explained K-1, "I suspect that many of our missing Ghost Forme artifacts are currently on display in this room." Crystal quickly turned her attention to an exhibit, set into a wall not more than 25 feet away. The curious Kirlia stepped towards the 7-foot tall and 10-foot wide window, holding her fluffy skirt with her left hand. Inside the spacious display case, extending five feet into the wall, were two pairs of wedding dresses, being worn by two sets of white and featureless mannequins. Various pieces of fine silver and gold jewelry, accented with a myriad of various precious stones, were resting on clear shelves throughout the display case. It quickly dawned on Crystal, both due to the familiar proportions of the garments and when she recognized what kind of fabric they were made from: these wedding dresses were certainly not meant for humans, but were the perfect size for a pair of Gardevoirs and two Kirlias. Crystal looked upon the two smaller wedding dresses. They were quite plain in appearance, although the one meant for a bride had puffed sleeves, a large bow on the back to accent the waist and it even shimmered brightly in the low light of the museum. The young Kirlia couldn't help but compare her own lavish wedding dress with the one in the museum exhibit. The decorative, jewel-accented embroidery that covered her sparkling dress certainly set Crystal's wedding attire apart from the rather plain and simpler one in the display case and the newlywed Kirlia couldn't help but smile.

"My, my…" said Crystal softly with a grin on her face, looking down upon the plain wedding dress, "Aren't we the poor cousin?"

"Hmmm… all artifacts in this case were collected from the ruins of what is believed to have once been a city, ruled by Gardevoirs," said Gremlin from behind Crystal. The young Kirlia turned around fast to see her mate floating in the air and reading what had been inscribed on a metal plague on the left side of the exhibit window.

"Really?" said an astonished Crystal, "I wonder which Gardevoir city they could have come from?"

"I would guess this wedding attire and jewelry was taken from the ruins of Asgard," said Gremlin while he slowly floated back down to the floor. Crystal shuddered with fear.

"Isn't that the city which was overrun by humans hundreds of years ago?" asked the saddened Kirlia.

"I'm afraid so," replied Gremlin somberly, "It is said that hundreds of Asgard's residents were killed in the assault on their city and many more when they tried to flee. Many made it to safety, but untold hundreds of lives were lost. To this day, no one knows the fate of Asgard's royal family; although many Pokémon suspect the kind king and queen gave their lives to protect their people and Asgard itself." Crystal looked over her right shoulder at the two sets of wedding dresses.

"Then… I hope these didn't belong to anybody…" said Crystal, a single tear streaming down her face. Gremlin walked up behind his wife and gently put his arms around her.

"It's okay," said Gremlin tenderly, "There are other legends about the attack in Asgard: such as the horrible fates that fell upon the evil, murderous men who dared to attack the city." The Sableye's gentle, yet mischievous words were all it took to lift Crystal's spirit. The young Kirlia spun around in her husband's arms, coming face to face with him.

"Ah, so all those bad people got what they deserved in the end, didn't they?" asked Crystal happily.

"Indeed they did," answered a smiling Gremlin, "But I think I better save that story for another time. Remember, my lovely ballerina, we have a museum to rob." The loving Sableye and Kirlia couldn't help but laugh and smile at each other.

"I suppose we have no choice," giggled Crystal.

"You bet you don't have a choice…" warned K-1 sternly through his onboard radio, "Two guards are on their way to your location. You'd best intercept them quickly and quietly."

"Already on it," cackled Gremlin. Crystal smiled at her handsome Sableye, leaning forward quickly to kiss him on his lips.

"So?" asked the grinning Kirlia to her mate, "I suspect you already have a plan, my love?" An evil smirk from Gremlin was all Crystal needed to see to instantly know her husband already had a good scheme cooked up in his mind.

"Hold on…" interrupted K-1, "The two guards are splitting up. One is heading into a nearby restroom and the other is waiting patiently for his comrade."

"Divide and conquer," cackled Gremlin quietly, looking into his wife's lovely eyes, "I'll go take care of the guard in the restroom. Would you like to deal with the other one?"

"But of course, my love," said Crystal, giggling sinisterly.

"By the way… you know how this little Ghost Forme ring gives you a few abilities that Ghost Pokémon already possess?" asked Gremlin sweetly. Crystal smiled and nodded her head in reply.

"Well, it can do so much more than make you incorporeal and float," said Gremlin with a mischievous grin, "Go ahead and try it out on your first… victim." The two newlyweds couldn't help but laugh quietly and in an unnerving manner. Meanwhile, Archie, the guard who had entered the restroom not far from the main archeology exhibit, was leisurely making his way towards one of the stalls. However, he did not actually need to use the toilets. Instead, he was going to take the time to read through his brand new issue of Gligar Man which had come in the mail earlier that day. Archie walked into the stall farthest from the restroom entrance. He shut the lid of the white, porcelain toilet with his left foot and then turned around to close and lock the stall's door. Archie smiled while he sat down on the toilet's lid, gently holding onto his new comic book with both hands. The restroom was brightly lit and the young security guard's thoughts dwelled mostly on what foe Gligar Man would have to deal with in his latest adventure.

"No reason why I can't take an unofficial break now and then," said Archie to himself happily, "The night shift is always so quiet. I mean, what are the odds of anything interesting or dangerous happening in one of the single largest and most secure museums in the world?" Suddenly, the entire area was plunged into darkness. Archie let his comic book drop to the floor.

"Must be my lucky day…" thought Archie fearfully as a pair of huge, glowing red eyes and a huge mouth, filled with long, sharp, horrible teeth appeared just inches away from his face. Despite the inky blackness which had covered everything all around the frightened security guard, Archie could easily make out the horrible eyes and toothy maw in the darkness.

"You said you wanted something exciting happen, didn't you…?" said the terrible partition with a horrid grin spreading across its unseen face, "Guess what, mortal? I'm here to grant your wish!" The guard standing outside the restroom door suddenly jumped with surprise when he heard screams coming from the bathroom, which were muffled somewhat through the restroom's thick door. The guard bowed his head low and slowly swiveled it back and forth with dismay.

"Did that moron fall in or something?" thought the security guard, stepping forward to pound on the door several times with his right fist. The screams continued, grating on the nerves of the guard more and more with each passing moment.

"Archie?" thundered the guard with immense anger and irritation, "What the devil is going on in there?" In an instant, the screams from the guard's comrade suddenly fell silent. The guard threw open the door: the restroom was brightly lit and only the sound of a fan, whirring softly from up in the ceiling, broke the otherwise eerie silence.

"Archie? Is this supposed to be some sort of joke?" demanded the guard as he angrily stomped towards the stall. The door was wide open as the guard stepped in front of the open doorway. Needless to say, the security guard was rather perplexed to see that his cohort seemed to have disappeared, leaving nothing behind but a comic book, lying open on the floor. The guard quickly turned around, looking up, down, left and right, wondering where Archie may have gone. Though there was an air vent in the middle of the ceiling of the restroom, the grill was still firmly secured and the vent, being only one foot wide, would have been much too narrow for Archie to climb up into it.

"Okay…" growled the guard with building rage, "The jig is up! Come out this instant or our supervisor is going to hear about this! You'll be fired in an instant! You hear me, Archie? You will lose your job if you don't show yourself right now!" The guard heard nothing but the gentle humming of the bathroom fan.

"What the heck is going on here?" asked the guard to himself. Just then, he heard someone, or something, giggling from behind. The guard turned around fast and listened carefully: the gentle and delightful laughter seemed to be coming from the large, main chamber of the archeology department.

"Alright… this is really starting to get weird…" mumbled the guard as he left the restroom and cautiously made his way towards the large chamber just beyond the corridor. The large chamber's lighting had been dimmed down, just like the rest of the immense museum for the night.

"Are you out here, Archie?" yelled the guard, getting more and more creeped-out with each passing second, "This isn't funny anymore! Now come out and end this stupid game." Soon, the guard was standing in the middle of the immense chamber.

"I'm not going to ask again…" warned the guard, his anger quickly overtaking his feelings of terror, "Stop this childishness, Archie. Come out where I can see you! If I have to hunt you down, I'm going to pummel you into the ground for this!" The guard paused: there was a very soft rustling sound of some sort coming from behind him. The scared man turned around fast and looked down towards the floor. In a mere moment, the guard had gone from being terrified to feeling utterly bewildered at what his eyes now beheld. Standing not more than five feet away was a blue-haired Kirlia. She was dressed up in a very beautiful wedding dress and adorned with gold and diamond jewelry. A gold tiara with large diamonds and a floor-length lace veil draped over the little Kirlia's head and back.

"Would you like to play with me?" asked the Kirlia with a sweet, tender voice and a bright smile on her face.

"Play? Play what?" asked the thoroughly confused guard.

"Just a little game," said the Kirlia bride as she flashed the guard an evil smirk, "One I think you will never forget for the rest of your life…" The unnerved guard looked upon the Kirlia and took several steps away from the beautifully-dressed creature. He watched as her skin and flesh began to shrivel up and vanish. The Kirlia's face seemed to evaporate, revealing a bleached-white skull. Her fingers were now boney hands, coming out from the sleeves of the sparkling wedding dress.

"Help… help me… Someone, help me…" said the guard with a dry, raspy, and almost inaudible voice. He was petrified with fear and unable to move or yell. The skeletal bride slowly lifted up into the air and began a slow, torturous flight towards the horrified security guard. The scarred man tried his best to call out to his other comrades, but he could barely speak a single word. The guard closed his eyes, hoping and praying what he was seeing was just a bad dream and that he would soon awaken, hopefully with his face down against a table in the break room with a box of doughnuts and a cup of fresh, hot coffee within his reach. Instead, he felt the cold bones of the undead Kirlia wrap themselves around his face and head.

"Leave… leave me alone… please…" begged the guard as beads of a cold sweat began to form on his face.

"But I want to play with you… just once…" said the horrid skeleton of the once-beautiful Kirlia bride with a tender sweet voice, which suddenly became echoing, horrible laughter. The skeletal bride suddenly kissed the guard on the left cheek of his face. Moments later the guard felt himself becoming weak and woozy. He opened his eyes for only a few seconds, only to see the smiling skull of the horrifying Kirlia bride.

"What have you done to me?" demanded the guard with sheer terror as he felt his strength leaving him very quickly.

"Now…" said the Pokémon skeleton, wearing a wedding dress and sparkling jewelry, "You shall sleep…"

"Sleep… for how long?" asked the guard as he dropped to his knees, feeling increasingly more exhausted.

"That will be a surprise…" whispered the undead bride as the man fell forward onto the hard, cold floor, landing right on his face. The skeletal Kirlia gently touched back down on the floor, giggling with delight as her flesh was suddenly restored.

"That was easy enough," said a Crystal cheerfully as she bent over and grabbed onto the fallen guard's left arm with both of her hands. Without much effort, she began to drag the unconscious man back towards the corridor and bathroom where Gremlin had undoubtedly scared the wits out of Archie. Crystal quickly noticed an open door in the corridor and she did not have to walk much further towards the opened closet when she saw Gremlin step out from behind the door. The grinning Sableye clapped his hands together a few times, as if he was trying to get dust off of them as he walked up to his mate.

"Need a hand with that baggage, milady?" asked Gremlin, cackling happily as he bowed towards his smiling Kirlia.

"I've got this under control," said Crystal with a nod. Gremlin stepped back and watched as his wife closed her eyes, gathering and focusing her power. The Sableye chuckled warmly as the sleeping guard was picked up into the air by and unseen force and then drifted slowly and carefully into the closet. The door seemed to close and lock itself as Crystal opened her eyes.

"I couldn't help but watch you deal with that angered guard," said the grinning Sableye, "I see you're learning very quickly how to project illusions and sound. You scared him pretty good, but the only thing I don't understand is how you managed to knock him out cold with nothing but a kiss. He may have been terrified, but not to a degree that would have made him faint."

"That's because I used Lovely Kiss on him," said Crystal, winking playfully at her mate, "As for how I learned that technique, just ask our mother, Cheryl. What I would like to know is how you were able to make that man Archie seem to vanish into thin air." Gremlin smiled at his lovely wife.

"Simple…" replied the devious Sableye with pride, "I put him to sleep using Hypnosis and then I projected my ability to become incorporeal on Archie and dragged his body into the floor. I stayed hidden until I knew you had taken care of Archie's cohort. Then, I simply phased back up into the restroom with the unconscious guard in tow."

"So I see," said Crystal, turning her eyes upon the locked closet where she and Gremlin had stuck the two sleeping guards, "Still, are they going to be okay in that closet?"

"I don't see why not," said Gremlin, shrugging his shoulders, "Even if no one has a key, the lock on this door could be taken apart with just a screw driver. Plus, there are some vents on the lower half of the door to let air in and out, so they shouldn't suffocate. On top of that, I would suspect it will take at least 3 or 4 hours until those two guys wake up from the heavy dose of sleep-inducing attacks we gave them."

"Well done," said K-1 through the radio headsets being worn by Gremlin and Crystal, "From what I'm seeing on the museum's cameras, nobody is aware of your presence. The other guards are still on their patrol routes throughout this sprawling museum. Do you two still remember the floor plan for this building?"

"Yes," replied a confident Gremlin.

"Same here," said a very happy Crystal.

"Excellent!" said K-1 with renewed enthusiasm, "Then I'll guide you both towards the remaining guards. They are still traveling about the museum in pairs. You will need to take them down two at a time, but you still have to be quiet about it. You must remain cautious as you still can't afford to draw any attention from the other guards. If any of them witness or hear another guard being taken down, they will undoubtedly activate the nearest alarm panel within reach."

"I don't suppose you've had any luck trying to disable those alarm panels, have you?" asked Gremlin.

"That's a negative," answered K-1, "Just be careful, okay? I know you will both definitely enjoy pacifying the guards, but please keep in mind that you have to be stealthily, quiet and you must not linger. Sooner or later, the operators in the control room are going to know something is wrong, especially if I keep broadcasting the same video loop of the security guards on their patrol routes for too long."

"Not to worry, K-1," said Crystal with a sweet tone of voice, "Just give us another half hour or so: my handsome Sableye and I shall make short work of those men."

"Okay," said K-1, "The pair of guards closest to your current position is in the world history exhibit."

"We're on it," said the newlywed Sableye and Kirlia. For the next several minutes, K-1 observed Gremlin and Crystal through the museum's surveillance system as they wreaked havoc upon the museum security team. From K-1's vantage point, the events unfolding before him were like scenes from a bad horror movie.

"This is almost too easy for Gremlin and Crystal," thought K-1 with disbelief, "Not only do they seem to be enjoying getting to ambush and terrify the security guards a bit too much, but they are doing so with an incredible and rather disturbing level of efficiency!" The robot watched as the Sableye and Kirlia stuffed yet another pair of knocked-out men into another closet. K-1 let the two unnerving newlyweds know where the next group of guards could be found. With that, Gremlin and Crystal were once again on their way. At times, K-1 couldn't help but laugh to himself at just how feebly the guards were handling the situation.

"Just look at that poor young man…" thought K-1, training one of the museum's cameras upon a scared guard who was backing out of one the many exhibit rooms, "He clearly knows he's being stalked, but you should never back up and around a corner to try and escape. You're just asking for someone to come up behind you and nail ya!" K-1 watched through the camera as Crystal, floating in the air behind the guard, completely unnoticed, swung a large frying pan at the back of the guard's head.

"A frying pan… I didn't see that one coming," admitted K-1 to himself. A few minutes later, K-1 was giving the scary Sableye and creepy Kirlia the location of the last pair of guards who were still on patrol in the museum. While the nefarious newlyweds were on their way to the last conscious security personal patrolling the building, K-1 decided he should seize the opportunity to hack into the museum's mainframe computer. The robot took great pride in being able to break into secure computer systems with relative ease and without being caught. More often than not, K-1 would end up finding some very interesting information, be it restricted documents, classified pictures, secret formulas or anything else which might prove useful to himself and especially Mack. Much to K-1's disappointment, hacking into the museum's mainframe took only milliseconds and copying all the contents from the super computer's hard drive arrays took mere minutes. Almost all the information was useless: seemingly endless numbers of documents about the tens of thousand of objects on display in the museum, coming attractions and proposed redesigns or additions of the building's interior and exterior.

"At least I now know the precise locations of the last of Gengar the Great's missing artifacts," thought K-1 happily, "I guess breaking into the mainframe was not a complete waste of time and resources." The robot spent a few more minutes gleaning through the immense amount of data he had managed to copy. Soon, another file caught his interest.

"Ah, ha! What have we here?" asked an enthusiastic K-1 to himself, ", eh? I wonder what this could be…" The curious robot opened the digital documents, only to find a cryptic readout from what appeared to be some sort of heavily armed and armored combat or a defense robot. The document read:

#WARNING#

This document is for the museum curator only. Severe penalties will be enacted if this document is copied or distributed.

Congratulations for your facility being selected for the test deployment of the Allens Corporation Techran prototype!

This model, the ACT-1 (Allens Corporation Techran Model #1) Beta Unit is currently our most successful heavy robotic unit, capable of launching devastating assaults on personnel and lightly-armored targets or providing defensive capabilities that would be more than sufficient protection for most high-level government installations. Pending successful testing in the Grand Museum of Alakaz and at other undisclosed facilities, the ACT-1 will go into full production.

Technical Load Out

Armor Type= 1 inch plate

Armor Composition= Classified

Armament= 2x ACW-75 .45 caliber machine guns

Ammunition Capacity= 1000 rounds/500 per weapon

Rate of Fire= 250 Rounds per minute

Effective Range= 100 meters

Maximum Range= 150 meters

Ammunition Type= .45 caliber Classified Type

Top Speed= 25 MPH, 10 MPH in enclosed areas

Power Plant= Classified

CPU= Allens Corporation AI-1000, custom-built

CPU Design= 512-bit RISC architecture, 20 GHz

Memory= 500 TB solid-state drive, 1 TB physical memory (RAM)

Movement= 2x Reinforced tank treads

Optical Sensors= Daylight, Infrared and Night-vision

Auditory Sensors= ACS-1 Revision 1.5

#Upgrade to ACS-2 recommended when parts are available#

Olfactory Sensors= Not Installed

Large-scale manufacturing of this part is pending

Onboard Radar= Not Installed

This part shall be shipped before the end of the year

Ultra-Violet Optical Sensor= Not Installed

This device is still being tested and may not be available for 2 or more years

#DANGER#

Though the ACT-1's artificial intelligence, attack and defense programs have undergone extensive testing and trials, there is no guarantee the system will perform to specifications.

#IMPORTANT NOTES#

Four units have been allocated to the Grand Museum of Alakaz and will be stored in hidden panels in Museum Chamber Omega. The walls, doors, exhibits and windows of this chamber have been heavily reinforced to protect against over-penetration by rounds fired by the ACT-1 prototypes. All exhibits with monetary value will have sufficient protection. All other Chamber Omega exhibits have been declared expendable and will not be armored.

The precise location of Chamber Omega may only be revealed to the control room-based security personnel. The ACT-1s can only be deployed and recalled from the main control room.

The ACT-1 can aim its weapons in almost any direction.

#CAUTION#

Only deploy the ACT-1s in extreme situations, such as a highly-coordinated heist by heavily-armed suspects or in any case where lethal force is both recommended and legal. Failure to comply with regulations will result in severe penalties: which the Allens Corporation cannot and will not be held responsible for.

From what K-1 could gather from a picture embedded in the digital manual, the ACT-1 looked like a squat robot, maybe no more than 5 feet tall. The 12-inch cube-shaped head had only a wide black visor on its face. The head seemed to have a ball and socket joint for a neck, allowing the machine to look in almost any direction. There was a set of tank treads on each side of the robot so it could maneuver along the ground. The ACT-1 also had two arms: each one with a large machine gun attached directly to the elbow joint on each arm.

"Those look like some very capable units, indeed," thought K-1, "I don't see any weaknesses in the armor or internal structures and even I wouldn't want to be on the business end of a .45 caliber machine gun!"

"K-1! We're finished!" said Crystal happily. K-1 almost lost his footing on the wall when he heard the young Kirlia's loud voice over his rather sensitive built-in radio transceiver.

"Gah!" yelled K-1 with fright, nearly falling off the wall.

"Is something wrong?" asked Gremlin through his radio headset, "You're not in any trouble, are you K-1?" The robot was muttering angrily under his breath while hanging several dozen feet off the ground with only his right foot still firmly secured to the wall. K-1 carefully pulled himself back towards the wall and managed to set his left foot back against the smooth surface. Fortunately, none of his cables had come loose from the security network, or a least that's what K-1 thought.

"I'm okay now," said K-1, letting out the robotic equivalent of a sigh of relief, "So, you took care of that last pair of guards?" Gremlin and Crystal glanced at one another with big smiles on their faces.

"Yep!" replied Gremlin with glee, "We stuffed those two goons into the nearest closet and locked the door. If memory serves me correctly: that should be all of them."

"Correct you are!" said an overjoyed K-1, taking a careful gaze through every security camera in the museum, making absolutely sure no security personnel had been overlooked, "There are no more hostiles and the operators in the control room still suspect nothing. That means we can move on to the next phase."

"I'm glad our mission is turning out so well," said Crystal happily, "Now all we have to do is grab the Ghost Forme artifacts and make a run for it."

"Yeah! We're almost done!" said a very cheerful Gremlin.

"More or less, but getting out of the museum could prove problematic, but I'll explain that later," said K-1, focusing his attention to the golem, waiting patiently in the cargo hold of the S-5 Heavy Carrier, "G6? Can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear," said G6, "I still don't understand how these small machines let us communicate with one another so easily."

"Well, at any rate, we are ready to begin to the next phase of this little mission of ours," said K-1.

"Ah, yes," said G6, "Time to collect the artifacts. I'll head downstairs and meet up with Gremlin and Crystal. No doubt they may need my help with any weighty or bulky artifacts." With that, G6 left the confines of the _Titan_ and made a mad dash down the stairwell at the roof and towards his Pokémon comrades. However, much to G6's surprise and disappointment, none of the remaining artifacts were larger than a small paperback book or even weighed more than such an object. Nonetheless, after an hour of scouring the museum and following K-1's directions over the radio without being noticed by the guards in the building's control room or any further mishaps, Gremlin, Crystal and G6 managed to find all but one of Gengar the Great's missing artifacts. Soon, Gremlin and Crystal were back in the large chamber where K-1 had been plugged into the museum's security system the whole time. G6, with a burlap sack over his right shoulder, was now on his way back to the S-5 with the artifacts he and his friends had managed to find. Still, the two Pokémon, one robot and golem were very bewildered that one artifact had managed to elude them despite searching the entire museum. K-1 was thoroughly searching through his databanks over and over again, wondering if he might have overlooked a file or two that had been extracted from the museum's mainframe computer.

"I just don't get it…" grumbled K-1 with mounting impatience, "I can't find any information on our missing relic. Maybe we miscounted the artifacts we collected? No… that's not it…"

"You didn't find any information on the artifact, even on the museum's computers?" asked Gremlin.

"Nothing," said a despairing K-1, "I even asked G6 to count and recount all the artifacts we've collected so far, just to make sure we didn't make a mistake. Despite all of this, one item is undoubtedly not accounted for." Crystal looked around the chamber she and her two friends were currently occupying. The room was quite huge with a ceiling at least 60 feet away from the ground and a floor space that was at least 200 feet wide. In this chamber, many fiberglass replicas of prehistoric Pokémon were on display about the floor and hanging from the ceiling as well as fossils, both of plants and creatures, were resting in glass display cases lining the walls of the voluminous area.

"I still can't understand how we got into the museum so easily," remarked Gremlin with slight concern in his voice, "K-1? Are you absolutely certain the security systems in the main stairwell were either removed or deactivated?"

"That is correct," replied K-1, "My full-spectrum optical sensor mode confirmed the electronics were nonfunctional. In addition, there were a large number of camera mounts in the stairway which were surprisingly unused."

"Then you have that huge fiberglass Aerodactyl blocking the exact place where you had to hack into the security system," said Gremlin, taking a seat on the cold, marble-tiled floor, "Something just doesn't add up here…"

"Gremlin! Over here, quick!" called Crystal frantically from the opposite side of the chamber. The Sableye ran towards his wife and soon caught sight of her peering into one of the display cases. Resting between two large fossils was what appeared to be a small, bizarre-looking treasure chest, made of some sort of dark metal. Gremlin's eyes opened wide as he gazed upon the Ghost Forme glyphs and Spekter symbols decorating the small box.

"Gremlin: dear? What is that thing?" asked Crystal curiously. The Sableye cackled with glee as he leaned forward, reaching out into the display case with his arms. The Sableye's limbs passed through the thick glass as if it simply did not exist. Gremlin stepped back as the small, decorative metal container passed through the display case as well without a hitch.

"Do you have any idea what this is?" asked a smiling Gremlin to his wife. Crystal shook her head back and forth a few times.

"Not the faintest idea, love," replied Crystal.

"You found something?" asked K-1 from the other side of the massive room, the robot's voice echoing about the chamber as his curious tone shifted to a more embarrassed-sounding voice, "Now that I think about it, we never did give this room a proper search… is it the missing artifact?"

"Not just any artifact! I've seen pictures of this object in some of my father's old books!" said Gremlin with sheer astonishment as he read the Spekter symbols on the top of the box's lid, "This is 'Gengar the Great's Nifty Little Box of Doom, Destruction and other Fun-Sounding Words that Start with the Letter "D"!' To think we almost gave up and would have left this remarkable device behind!" To say the least, K-1 and Crystal were both puzzled as well as somewhat worried at this sudden turn of events.

"So…" asked Crystal hesitantly, taking a few cautious steps away from her delighted husband, "What exactly is this little box of doom supposed to do?" Gremlin laughed nervously.

"To be honest, I haven't a single clue what this purpose of this artifact is," admitted the Sableye sheepishly, "The book in my father's personal library that actually mentioned this ancient relic was written entirely in Spekter."

"Could be a Pandora's Box for all we know," said K-1 with a scowl, "Nonetheless, we'd best take it with us. I wouldn't want these humans to open that thing and potentially unleash hordes of demons, evil spirits or who knows what else upon the Earth!"

"I think you're wrong, K-1," said Gremlin, clearly not amused, "Gengar the Great would never keep, let alone dare craft an object capable of such hideousness!" K-1 nodded his head a few times as his scowl changed to a more relaxed expression.

"I suppose you are right, Gremlin," said K-1, "Well, I think it's safe to say, since we have recovered all the artifacts, we should now make with a quick retreat. Still, we had best take care of a few more procedures before we exit. We certainly don't need any loose ends."

"Such as…?" asked Gremlin eagerly, cradling the miniscule metal chest in his arms.

"Well, if you and Crystal would be so kind as to head back to the S-5, I want you to grab a few cans of black spray paint from the forward storeroom, underneath the cockpit," explained K-1, still suspended from the wall and several feet above the floor, "Then, I need you to put a good layer of paint over the lenses of every security camera so we can make our final escape without being seen. The moment I unplug myself from the security network, all the cameras will come back online. Better for the people in the control room to see dark screens instead of us: that should confuse them for a short while."

"I guess we could do that," said Crystal, shrugging her shoulders. Gremlin looked up at K-1.

"Why don't you just overload the camera system?" suggested Gremlin, not wanting to do any more hard labor for the night, "Would not a power surge accomplish the same goal?"

"I wonder why I didn't think of that?" admitted K-1 with a nervous smile, "That would certainly save us a lot of trouble, although such a move will cause a lot of damage."

"Still, I think you can agree that we're running short of time," said Gremlin matter-of-factly, "The sun is going to rise in a little less than an hour. We probably should be long gone before then." As much as K-1 hated to admit it, the Sableye was right. K-1 knew very well he was not supposed to purposely cause damage to anything, unless the situation warranted such an action. As far as the robot was concerned, this was one of those times.

"Very well," said K-1 as he began to charge up electrical power deep in his metallic body, "Just a moment, please…" Crystal jumped out of surprise when several bright flashes lit up the chamber, followed immediate by many fairly loud "Pops!" which echoed all about the room and the museum. With his deed done, K-1 returned his full attention to the control room. From what he could gather, the last two conscious guards had not noticed anything. Furthermore, K-1 was still able to broadcast false images of the museum's security guards on patrol throughout the building on the control room's monitors.

"Okay. That did it," said K-1, "Gremlin and Crystal: you two had better get out of here. There's no telling what may happen once I unjack my cables from all of these wires up here."

"We're not going to leave you behind, K-1," said Gremlin firmly. Crystal, very determined, nodded her head in agreement.

"As you wish," said K-1 with a sigh of relief, "Nice to know that I really can count on you guys."

"I'm not a guy," said Crystal, crossing her arms in front of her chest with a smirk on her face.

"Yes… I would agree!" laughed K-1, "Alright, then. You two had better be ready for anything."

"What's the worst thing that could happen?" asked Gremlin, perhaps overconfident in what might happen next.

"Well, all the alarms may go off in unison for no apparent reason," suggested K-1 with a serious tone of voice, "Plus, you may recall that you, your wife and G6 had to break open several display cases throughout the museum in order to get at the Ghost Forme artifacts. That could set off several alarms as well."

"Oh…" said Gremlin with a broad frown on his face.

"Can't you just overload the alarms, too?" asked Crystal.

"Negative. I can't send a power surge to all of them at once," replied K-1, "I can't generate that much power. There are literally tens of thousands of sensor traps and pressure plates all throughout the museum. I can bypass those alarms so long as I remain attached to the security network, like I am right now. Whereas there are only a few hundred surveillance cameras placed throughout the entire building. Besides, such a move could just as easily set off those alarms."

"I guess you're right," said Crystal with a nod of understanding, "We'll just have to hope nothing bad happens."

"Agreed!" said Gremlin wholeheartedly.

"Very well," said K-1 as he unfurled his ion engines from the outer sides of his legs and fired them up, "I think I got all the cameras… so here we go!" Gremlin and Crystal may not have been superstitious Pokémon, but they still crossed their figures and said a few quick prayers right before K-1 unplugged his prehensile cables from the security network and flew away from the wall at top speed. However, just moments ago, one of the operators in the museum's security control room had just sat back down in his chair in front of one of two elaborate computer consoles in the control room. He was taking sips from a cup of hot coffee while observing the many television screens which displayed the real-time images coming from the surveillance system. As far as he could tell, all the guards were still on their patrol routes and nothing was amiss.

"Anything going on out there, Fred?" asked the other operator from behind his colleague, training his eyes on the security monitors as well. The first operator replied by swiveling his head back and forth.

"Nothing to report, Marek," replied Fred, the first operator.

"So I see," said Marek with a smile, "Just between you and me, there is nothing better than yet another perfectly quiet graveyard shift." Fred nodded his head in full agreement with his more experienced colleague.

"We've never had a break-in before, anyway," said Fred, shrugging his shoulders, "We have the single most-secured building in the entire Gardev Region. Anyone who would try and break into THIS museum would have to be totally, utterly and completely mental!" Marek laughed happily.

"I suppose you're right," said Marek as his cohort leisurely sipped from his cup of steaming coffee. Suddenly, the two men jumped to their feet out of pure shock when the unmistakable din of alarms going off flooded the entire building. Every single warning light and indicator in the control room was either blinking or flashing a "Danger!" message over and over again.

"What in the world…?" exclaimed Marek with disbelief. Fred, who barely avoided spilling his coffee all over the control panel, gave a quick glance to each of the security monitors. According to the cameras, everything seemed perfectly normal: the guards were still on patrol.

"Maybe it's some sort of error," said a bewildered Fred while he set down his cup of coffee and quickly walked behind the control console with his colleague in tow, "Everyone seems to be still on their patrol routes."

"Let me help you back there," said Marek as he helped his friend pry off an access panel on the back of the control console. Meanwhile, Gremlin and Crystal were wide-eyed, slack-jawed and absolutely stunned at what their eyes beheld. Somehow, K-1 had not managed to unplug himself from several of the wires of the museum's security network. K-1's engines were almost at full power as the robot hung in the air, still tethered to the open access panel in the wall.

"Whoops!" thought K-1 with immense fear, quickly realizing his error, "Well, I've never had so many of my hacking cables in use at one time before, but still… how did I managed to goof up like that?" Back in the control room, Fred was fidgeting with the myriad of cables inside the computer console while his comrade kept an eye on the control panel. The alarms continued to sound loudly throughout the museum.

"Did that do anything?" asked Fred. The second operator was about to say something when he suddenly saw all the monitors of the surveillance system suddenly go dark. "No Signal" flashed on all the monitors over and over again.

"What the heck are you doing back there?" thundered Marek with shock, "You just cut off the camera feeds!"

"No way!" shouted Fred angrily at his cohort, "I may not have worked here nearly as long as you, but I know this security system like the back of my hand! I helped install this whole setup a few years ago, remember? The only things I've touched so far are the wires for the alarm system!" Back in the museum, K-1 had managed to free himself from the jungle of cables and wires that now protruded from the open access panel behind the huge and very life-like fiberglass Aerodactyl.

"That was a close one!" said Crystal loudly, trying to talk over the loud noise from the museum's alarms and buzzers.

"We better get out of here!" yelled K-1 as he set his feet back down on the floor, "I'll follow you two! Let's book it!" Without another word, Gremlin and Crystal started to run towards the nearest exit from the chamber. Little did they know, but one of the operators in the security control room soon noticed that a single monitor was still getting a signal from what seemed to be the only operational camera in the entire building.

"What the devil…?" said Marek himself as he saw what looked like a Sableye, wearing a wedding dress and carrying a small metal box in his arms. Fred had also seen this image on the screen for a split-second in the bottom, left corner of the screen.

"We have an intruder!" shouted Marek with fright. Fred quickly let go of the cables inside the control console and reached for his own portable radio.

"Murray! Jack!" called Fred through the radio, "What's going on down there? Can you hear me?" All the scared man heard was static on the radio. Without hesitation, Marek ran over to and started pressing one button after another on another control panel at the opposite side of the room. He worked quickly, watching the green indicator lights come on one at a time. As for K-1 and company, they were forced to stop in their tracks when a heavy metal door came down from the top of the entryway's frame, closing off their exit. Moments later, the robot, Sableye and Kirlia looked on, completely aghast as metal panels slid out all about, covering up all the windows, doors, some of the exhibits and several of the display cases. K-1 unfolded one of his plasma Vulcan cannons from his right side and began to spin up the multi-barreled weapon.

"Stand back!" ordered K-1. Gremlin and Crystal leapt out of the way and once they were a safe distance from the door, K-1 opened fire upon the heavy door. The explosive red plasma bolts collided with the door in a series of deafening "Booms!" as smoke filled the room. The robot ceased fire and the smoke began to dissipate. Much to his surprise, his plasma cannon had not left a single scratch in the metal blast door.

"This is not good!" said K-1 fearfully. Crystal looked about the room, figuring that she and her friends had been spotted, but how? The newlywed Kirlia soon got her answer for at one corner of the room, mounted at the far-right corner of the chamber's ceiling was a lone, white security camera.

"K-1! You missed a camera!" screamed Crystal with fright. The robot turned around fast and fired a single round at the camera. The small, white object burst into flames the moment the small blob of super-heated gas collided with the camera. Smoking shrapnel fell to the ground at the corner of the room. Back in the control room, the two operators watched, stunned as the last functional monitor in the room suddenly went dark.

"At least whatever is in there can't escape now," said Marek operator with a content smile.

"What did you see in there, anyway?" asked a curious Fred.

"A Sableye in a wedding dress," said Marek as a smirk crossed his face, "He was in possession of a museum artifact. At any rate, he won't be getting out of there now!" Marek's cohort was rather bewildered at his friend's sudden show of confidence.

"Wait… Are you saying a ghost got into the museum?" asked a perplexed Fred, "Then there's no way that thing is actually trapped in there! It can just phase through the walls, floor, windows or even the ceiling to make his escape." Marek looked over at his coworker with a big grin on his face.

"Don't you know where that Sableye is?" said Marek calmly and with great delight, "He's trapped in the Omega Chamber! The walls ceiling and floor all have a layer of a classified metal alloy underneath the marble and drywall. The panels which now cover the entryways and windows are made from the same material as well. This metal is not only extremely tough, but ghosts can't actually phase through it! What's even better is that an experimental anti-teleportation system was installed in that chamber too! That little cretin will never be able to get out now!" Back in the sealed-off exhibit room, Gremlin had learned this fact the hard way. He was lying flat on his back, completely exhausted after having tried to get out of the room by becoming incorporeal. Instead, all the Sableye had managed to do was give himself a terrible headache from crashing into an impenetrable wall of some sort no matter whether he tried to phase through the walls, floor or ceiling of the room. Even trying to get through the armored windows had proven to be impossible. Crystal was focusing all her power in a desperate attempt to teleport herself and her friends back to the museum's roof, but to no avail. As for K-1, he had extended his plasma torch from his dark chest compartment and was trying to burn his way through the stubborn blast door.

"It's just no use, dear," said Crystal, opening her eyes while drawing a deep breath, "I can't teleport us out of here. Something won't let me concentrate my powers…"

"It's okay, Crystal… it's okay…" said Gremlin, struggling to catch his breath, "…You did your best and that's just fine with me." Crystal walked over to her mate and knelt down at his left side. She gently held onto his left hand.

"Let me help you, my love," said Crystal with a smile. Gremlin trained his gemstone eyes upon his lovely mate, watching with awe as her body began to glow with an intense white light. Suddenly, Gremlin felt his strength return to him.

"How… How did you manage to do that, Crystal?" stammered Gremlin as his Kirlia wife helped him get back on his feet, "I thought a healing move like Recover could only be used on the Pokémon who actually unleashes the technique." Crystal smiled lovingly at her handsome Sableye.

"That's what I thought, too," said the beautiful Kirlia happily, "But, it would appear that we were both dead wrong."

"Dead wrong, eh?" laughed Gremlin, "Very funny, my little ballerina!" K-1 let out a heavy sigh.

"Just between you and me, I would prefer to get out of this situation alive," grumbled K-1, "At any rate, I still can't get through this blasted door!"

"Perhaps you need a hand or a mobile battering ram?" asked a familiar and reassuring voice from the other side of the blast door, now glowing with a bright red hue.

"G6? Is that you?" asked K-1 with renewed confidence.

"Indeed it is I," replied a very determined G6, "I heard the alarms go off and I figured you three might need some help, so I came down here to make myself useful."

"Good timing," said K-1, "I've already heated up this blast door. See if you can break it down."

"With pleasure," said the hulking golem. K-1 stood back, training his eyes upon the sealed doorway. Gremlin and Crystal were watching too as several thunderous "Klangs!" echoed in the massive chamber. Much to K-1's disappointment, the door neither moved so much as an inch from its frame, nor did the door start to bow outward from the repeated punches thrown by the very determined arcane automaton. G6 just kept on punching the door, but even after several minutes of such abuse, the sealed door would not budge or even begin to break.

"Step back, G6!" commanded K-1.

"Very well," said G6, stepping away from his side of the door while K-1 walked up to the stubborn obstacle. Again, the robot broke out his plasma torch and resumed heating up the door, hoping he could somehow weaken it enough for G6 to break it down. As for the men in the control room, they knew they were running out of options. Despite repeated attempts, they could not make contact with any of the other guards. The realization soon set in: the two men were on their own.

"Something must have happened to the lot of them!" said Marek with fear and seething rage.

"What are we supposed to do now?" asked Fred with fright. Marek glared angrily at his cohort.

"We have no choice!" said Marek as alarms continued to blare throughout the museum, "The police won't be here for at least another 15 minutes. Get to your console and get ready to activate the ACT-1s on the double!"

"Yes, sir!" said Fred with a salute. Inspired by his coworker's great determination, Fred ran over and took a seat at his workstation as did Marek.

"Do you have your key?" asked Marek to his comrade.

"Yes, I do!" replied Fred with renewed confidence, showing his coworker the crucial small metal key.

"Good! Place it in the lock and wait for my signal," ordered Marek. With that, the two guards slid their keys into the locks on the control panel.

"One… two… three… MARK!" shouted Marek. In unison, the two men turned the keys to the right. Fred watched as the computer screen in front of him flickered to life, showing the interface program for the ACT-1 robots. Marek, the senior officer, gazed at his computer screen and read it quickly:

-Keys Accepted

-Emergency Protocols Engaged

-Please Stand By…

#A.C.T.-1 Units Armed and Ready For Orders#

-What is your command?

?

"All units: engage unknown hostile(s)," said Marek to himself as he typed his orders feverishly into his keyboard, "Lethal force authorized. Aggression Settings… Maximum!" Marek took another look at his computer screen:

-Order Accepted

-A.C.T.-1 Units #1, #2, #3 and #4…

Status= ONLINE

-Running Attack and Defense Programs

Override Protocol= Standing By…

Marek smiled and reclined in his chair as he read the status message for the attack drones.

"What are we supposed to do now, Marek?" asked Fred, shrugging his shoulders. Marek glanced over at his coworker.

"We wait," said Marek happily, "We shall stay put until the police arrive or when the shooting stops."

"Hold on!" said Fred with doubt, "We're going to try and kill a ghost Pokémon with machine guns? That's just stupid! You're not serious, are you?" Marek slowly turned his gaze upon his cohort with a big smile on his face.

"Those are not ordinary bullets, my friend," explained Marek with glee, "I may not know what that ammunition is made out of or how it works, but that executive from the Allens Corporation said the ACT-1s would be more than a match for anyone or anything… Including ghosts…"

"What about the exhibits in that room? They could be damaged or destroyed!" said Fred with concern quite evident in his voice. Marek merely chuckled at his coworker's question.

"Anything which actually matters in that place is safely behind panels made from the same metal that lines the walls, floor and ceiling," replied Marek calmly, "We won't have to worry about damage to the rest of the museum or any of the items in Omega Chamber that happen to be worth something." By now, K-1 had heated the metal door to the point where it began to glow with an intense, blue light.

"Try now, G6!" asked K-1 as he stepped back. The golem stepped forward and landed another series of earthshaking punches on the blast door; however, the stubborn metallic slab still refused to budge or suffer any noticeable damage.

"Just keep trying," said Gremlin calmly, "We'll find a way out of this. Not like things could get much worse, right?" The moment the naïve Sableye finished his sentence, several loud "Clicks!" followed by a low humming sound echoed throughout the entire area. Crystal angrily scowled at Gremlin.

"Maybe you should keep your big mouth shut the next time you want to say something like that?" suggested K-1 as several 6' by 6' sections of the floor slid into the ground several inches. The marble panels then all opened to the left. Gremlin was in complete shock as was Crystal when four five foot-tall robots with machine guns for arms and tank treads instead of legs slowly were lifted into the room by elevators that had been hidden under the floor. The four attack drones trained their optical sensor visors upon the two Pokémon and K-1.

"We're in deep trouble, aren't we?" asked Gremlin to K-1.

"You have no idea!" yelled K-1 frantically, "Get behind cover! NOW!" K-1, Gremlin and Crystal dove behind one of the larger exhibits, now covered with the tough armor plating as the four robots opened fire. The sound of the machine guns firing was deafening as bright flashes lit up the immediate area. K-1 couldn't help but notice that each and every bullet which flew by was encased in a strange, green aura. Meanwhile, the two remaining guards may have been confident their new attack robots could handle themselves, but they were quite irritated by the fact they could not get any video feeds from the ACT-1s.

"How come we can't see anything in there, even via those drones?" demanded Fred with hot anger.

"Looks like these units were not outfitted with audio or video transmitters," said Marek with a heavy sigh. Back in the sealed-off chamber, the Sableye and Kirlia stayed close to one another for protection, cowering behind one armored exhibit after another in a desperate attempt to evade the strangely-colored rain of green lead coming from the ACT-1s. K-1 was forced to seek shelter as well, but was glad the armored exhibits were unharmed by the bizarre ammunition of the ACT-1s. The robot with its feline head was able to track the marauding robots via his onboard radar. K-1 had all of his sensors activated and he soon made an interesting discovery. Even though the digital manual for the ACT-1s said the attack drones could move up to ten miles per hour in enclosed spaces, these heavily-armed units were moving much slower than expected. On top of that, K-1 remembered the ACT-1s were not outfitted with many of the advanced sensors they had been designed for, such as Radar. Nonetheless, K-1 had no idea what kind of damage the ammunition used by the ACT-1s could actually cause.

"Crystal!" called K-1, far from where Gremlin and his Kirlia wife had sought shelter, "Do you think you can make a small orb using a psychic barrier?"

"I think so!" said Crystal loudly.

"Good! Do so, using as much of your power as you can and try to get the attention of one of these machines!" commanded K-1, "I hope this is not the type of ammunition I think it is!" Crystal did as her robotic companion asked and formed a glowing sphere of blue light, roughly 8 inches in diameter. Gremlin kept a close watch on the area about him and Crystal as the young Kirlia floated the glowing orb right into the path of one of the ACT-1s. The Sableye peered around a corner to see what would happen. The attack drone opened fire upon its new target without hesitation. K-1 was now terrified and Gremlin's heart sank when he saw the bullets cut right through Crystal's potent psychic barrier ball with ease.

"What happened?" asked Crystal with immense fear, "My barrier just disappeared with one shot from that machine!"

"Those bullets will pierce cleanly through any psychic barrier!" yelled K-1, "I doubt my onboard shields will offer much protection either! We have to get out of here!"

"Any suggestions?" said Gremlin with a loud voice. Suddenly, Gremlin turned about fast when he heard Crystal scream. He looked down the pathway before him as an ACT-1 rounded the corner and quickly trained its guns upon the wide-eyed Sableye and Kirlia. K-1 watched the robot on his built-in radar and knew what he had to do.

"Noooo!" screamed K-1 as he jumped out from behind his cover and up into the air, immediately drawing the undivided attention of all the attack drones. The ACT-1s all trained their guns upon K-1 and opened fire. With the marauding robots distracted, Gremlin and Crystal dove behind another exhibit for cover. Crystal cried out as a blue barrier materialized around K-1. The bullets, glowing with their bright green aura, slammed into the flying robot's energy shielding as K-1 in turn opened fire upon the unit which had nearly gunned down Gremlin and Crystal with his plasma Vulcan cannons. Crystal screamed when K-1's shielding suddenly disappeared and the ACT-1's bullets began to hit the brave robot. Crystal couldn't watch and Gremlin looked on with horror as K-1 dropped lifelessly to the floor with a loud metallic "Klang!" The Sableye then took a quick glance around the corner of the armored exhibit where he and his wife were now hiding behind as shelter. K-1 had fallen just yards away from the ACT-1 which he had attacked. There were large dents all over K-1's face and body. Smoke poured from several small holes in his head and chest and sparks fell to the floor from the damaged ion engines. The ACT-1 seemed to be completely unharmed and K-1 was just lying on the ground: his left eye was wide open and his right eye had been completely destroyed. K-1, still not ready to give up, turned his remaining eye upon the huge fiberglass Aerodactyl hanging from the ceiling. He unfurled the Vulcan plasma cannon from his right side and fired a single shot at the ceiling above where the Pokémon replica was mounted. The sculpture broke free from the ceiling and came careening down upon one of the ACT-1s. The robot lurched violently as the heavy piece of fiberglass crashed down upon the ACT-1. However, much to K-1's dismay, he saw the attack drone right itself moments later, completely unharmed. The ACT-1 nearest K-1 trained its guns upon the fallen robot. Gremlin let loose a Shadow Ball from his right hand, but the powerful attack merely glanced off the ACT-1. The dark energy ball exploded as it hit the ceiling and the attacking drone seemed to shrug off the attack as it returned its attention to its crippled target. Gremlin and Crystal looked away as the ACT-1 fired a single shot from each of its cannons at K-1. A cloud of sparks and smoke erupted from where K-1 had been laying moments ago.

"Gremlin…?" asked Crystal fearfully, "K-1… is… is he…?" Gremlin bowed his head low just as his wife began to cry and wail out of unbearable sadness, drawing the attention of the ACT-1s.

"He didn't even damage that stupid machine!" said Gremlin, feeling a rage so deep and so intense that he could never remember a time when he had felt so angry. Meanwhile, back in the security control room, the two guards couldn't help but smile and let out a sigh of relief as a message appeared on the computer screen in front of them.

#A.C.T.-1-4 Sit-Rep Received#

#Minus One Hostile#

#Engaging Two Remaining Hostiles#

"So…" said Marek with glee, "The ACT-1s managed to exterminate one of the intruders."

"There's still two left," said Fred, "What should we do next? Call upon the remaining hostiles to surrender?"

"No," replied Marek bluntly, "Let 'em all die." Fred was very shocked at his coworker's statement.

"Are… are you sure, Marek?" asked Fred fearfully.

"Yes," said Marek with little emotion in his voice, "Just sit back and watch the show. That Sableye and his friends shall soon meet their doom, hopefully before the police arrive in another 8 minutes." So far, Gremlin and Crystal had managed to evade the pursuing ACT-1s, but they knew very well they were running out of time and would not be able to hide forever.

"What are we going to tell Mack?" asked a deeply-grieved Crystal, "K-1 sacrificed himself to save us…"

"I don't know…" said Gremlin, clenching his fists in anger, "But I won't let K-1's brave gesture be for nothing!" G6 was still pounding at the tough blast door with all his might. He knew very well that K-1 had fallen in combat and he was frustrated beyond endurance to know there was nothing he could to help so long as the blast door was in his path.

"Why won't this piece of garbage break?" howled G6 with indignation. The ACT-1s paused for a moment, analyzing the loud noise coming from the blast door. They quickly resumed their attack routine and were rolling towards Gremlin and Crystal. Soon, it was apparent to the Sableye and his wife they were cornered. Gremlin cautiously looked around both corners of the armored exhibit he was now pinned behind with his mate. The ACT-1s were drawing ever closer and Gremlin was forced to get back behind the exhibit when one of the robots unleashed another salvo of lethal rounds. The Sableye looked down upon the small metal chest he was carrying in his arms.

"Gremlin… what are we going to do?" asked Crystal, still crying over the sudden loss of their and Mack's companion, K-1. Gremlin sat still, trying to summon the armor and sword which Gengar the Great had entrusted him with. The Sableye could easily picture himself wearing the shining armor. After several moments of concentration, Gremlin opened his eyes, but he was still wearing his wedding dress, which surely would provide little to no protection against an onslaught from the ACT-1s. Gremlin clenched his fists tightly out of intense anger.

"What the heck is going on?" howled Gremlin with disbelief, "I can't even summon the Soul Cleaver or my plate armor?" Crystal wrapped her arms around her mate and wept bitterly into his left shoulder, knowing she and her mate would soon perish.

"Even if my and Gremlin's wedding rings can keep us alive so long as one of us lives, what good will that do if we both get gunned down at once…?" thought a despairing Crystal. Gremlin looked upon the small metal chest resting in his arms. There was no telling what would happen once he opened it, but the Sableye knew he had no other choice.

"Be brave, my love," said Gremlin, placing his hands upon the lid of the miniscule metallic box, "I'm going to use this artifact. I don't know what will happen, but we have no choice." Crystal placed her hands on top of her mate's.

"Let's do this… together…" said Crystal. The Sableye and Kirlia closed their eyes and kissed each other for what they figured would be the last time. Just then, the four ACT-1s now had the two Pokémon, adorned in wedding attire, in their sights. Gremlin and Crystal opened the small chest just as the murderous machines opened fire.


	15. Section 15

**-151B-**

The Sableye and Kirlia opened their eyes, wondering what had become of each other and lo, they found themselves drifting in the midst of a brightly-lit void. They could hear nothing as a dark shadow began to materialize before them. Gremlin was aghast; Crystal was mesmerized as the dark figure soon took on a very familiar shape.

"Well, well," said Gengar the Great with a smile, wearing his royal robes, golden crown and clutching a golden, ornate scepter in his right hand, "I see you managed to recover my Nifty Little Box of Doom, Destruction and other Fun-Sounding Words that Start with the Letter 'D'."

"Wait…" said Gremlin with disbelief, "You're dead! I freed you from that soul-trapping gem of yours!"

"Are we… dead?" asked Crystal with sheer terror.

"Far from it, my friends," said Gengar the Great cheerfully, "You really have no idea what power you have in the palm of your hands, do you?" Gremlin and Crystal slowly swiveled their heads back and forth in reply.

"Well, allow me to explain how my greatest creation works," said Gengar the Great with a friendly smile, "Though my Nifty Little Box of Doom, Destruction and other Fun-Sounding Words that Start with the Letter 'D' may have a disturbing name, one that is quite a mouthful I might add, it was created to be used in only the most dire situations." Gengar slowly stepped towards the stunned Sableye and Kirlia, his cape billowing out from an unseen and unheard breeze.

"I must be frank," said Gengar the Great with a firm tone of voice, "You can only awaken the power of this device once every 25 years. I'm happy to say you were able to do just that. Behold!" Gengar the Great pointed towards an object somewhere at Gremlin and Crystal's left side in the bright void in the distance. There, they saw what appeared to be some sort of portal back to the real world. However, the portal had a still image of the museum where Gremlin and Crystal had been just moments ago. The newlyweds looked on with awe, seeing themselves surrounded by the four deadly robots with swarms of bullets flying towards them.

"As you can see, you have frozen time in its tracks," explained Gengar the great, "Now, all you have to do is figure out what to do from here. Planning a new strategy would be a start. However, I must ask you one thing. You must also ask yourselves this: what is it that you really want?"

"What do you mean?" asked Gremlin with despair, "There is nothing we can do to defeat those blasted machines!"

"Boulder dash!" yelled an annoyed Gengar, waving his golden scepter at Gremlin, "I will say again: what is it that you and your wife want the most? You had best decide quickly, however. If you linger too long in this void, you will eventually be transported back to the real world. If that were to happen right now, you would both be dead before you realized you were back in that museum, surrounded by those mechanical nightmares." Gremlin closed his eyes and thought hard about Gengar's question for what seemed like hours. Crystal was also deep in thought.

"Come, come," warned Gengar the Great, "Your time in this realm is going to expire soon. If you return now, you will be killed in an instant and I, for one, need you alive in order to deal the finishing blow to the Blight." Gremlin opened his eyes and looked Gengar the Great straight in the eye.

"I want to defeat those robots," answered Gremlin, "I need my armor and sword to do just that."

"I want Gremlin and I to be protected from those machines," said Crystal with a heavy sigh.

"Are you certain that is what you desire?" asked Gengar the Great, "Once you leave this place, you must face the consequences of your decisions."

"I…" said Gremlin, glancing at his mate, "We… well… there is one other thing we want, but…"

"But what?" demanded Gengar the Great with a smile.

"I don't think it's possible for…" started Gremlin.

"Enough with the doubts!" snapped Gengar the Great, "You must now return to your world and live with what you have chosen. Keep those good desires in your hearts and minds and then… well, you will just have to wait and see."

"Will we ever see you again?" asked Gremlin softly.

"No," replied Gengar the Great, "I only came back because you opened that box for the first time. It contained a small part of my essence, which allowed me to see you one last time before my final departure towards eternity."

"So… where will you go now?" asked a saddened Crystal.

"Please, do not cry, my dear," said Gengar the Great happily, "I am going to a wonderful place. I believe it is known simply as Heaven." Gengar smiled in a friendly manner.

"What's Heaven like?" asked a curious Gremlin.

"You will find out one of these days, my boy," said Gengar the Great as the intense illumination of the void began to fade away, "Ah. I must now go, as will you. Farewell, Gremlin and Crystal. I know you will take good care of each other, revive the Order of Twining Shadows. Mind what you have both learned and please, continue to learn the secrets of Ghost Forme. They will serve you well in the many years ahead. Goodbye, my friends!" Gremlin and Crystal watched as the bright void soon gave way to darkness. The figure of Gengar the Great smiled as he too faded away. Then, the newlyweds felt themselves being pulled towards the portal. The still image inside the ring of the bizarre gateway started to move as the robots opened fire upon the newlyweds. The ACT-1s suddenly ceased their attack, their optical sensors overloaded with an intense flash of light. Back in the museum's control room, the two security guards were staring at the computer screen before them in complete shock.

#Status Update#

-Targets lost

-Optical Sensors Overloaded

-Please Stand By…

-Resuming Search Pattern…

#DANGER!#

Unidentified Energy Detected

"What the…?" exclaimed a startled Marek.

"I'll say!" said Fred, "What do you suppose is going on in there?" In the sealed chamber, the newlywed Sableye and Kirlia opened their eyes. They were still in the exact same place where they had been moments ago, only this time, things were much different. The lovers' bodies were surrounding by a bright, golden barrier of some sort. Crystal looked over at her mate: he was now wearing the enchanted suit of armor and was holding the sword, Soul Cleaver, in his right hand. The sword was glowing with an intense white light. The ACT-1s were quite puzzled at what they were detecting. Nonetheless, they aimed their machine guns at the Sableye and Kirlia, opening fire with an unrelenting salvo of automatic fire. Gremlin opened his eyes, flashing his wife a smile as the lethal bullets were deflected harmlessly off his and his wife's barriers.

"Now the real fun begins!" shouted Gremlin as he reached up with his left hand and closed his faceplate. Crystal sat still on the floor watching as Gremlin flew up into the air. He then dove towards one of the marauding robots, brandishing his mighty Ghost Forme blade. The Kirlia smiled while Gremlin brought the small blade down upon the ACT-1. The enchanted blade cut through the horrid machine with unbelievable ease, right down the middle. The remaining ACT-1s continued their unrelenting firestorm of lethal lead as Gremlin then focused his attention towards his next target. As for the two security guards in the museum's control room, they could not believe what they were reading on their computer screen:

#ALERT!#

-A.C.T.-1 Unit #4 Unresponsive

-Remaining Units Engaging Multiple Targets

-Please Stand By…

"This can't be happening…" said an astonished Marek, "That executive from the Allens Corporation said the ACT-1s were practically unstoppable! They have no weaknesses!"

"Looks to me like someone found a chink in their armor after all," said Fred with stark amazement as another message appeared on the view screen:

#ALERT!#

-A.C.T.-1 Units #2 and #1 Unresponsive

-Please Stand By…

#DANGER!#

-All A.C.T.-1 Units Offline

-Initiating Emergency Protocols…

#Command Error#

"" is not a valid program name or file

"You have got to be kidding me!" thundered Marek with immense rage and frustration, "There is no way the ACT-1s were taken down that easily! It's impossible!"

"Look at that!" said Fred with alarm, pointing at a new message on the computer screen.

#Running Emergency Program#

-Object Not Found!

#Running Secondary Emergency Program#

-File Found!

#Activating #

A STRANGE GAME. THE ONLY WINNING MOVE IS NOT TO PLAY.

HOW ABOUT A NICE GAME OF CHESS?

"I'm pretty sure that program called '' did not come with the ACT-1 programming system…" said a confused Fred.

"You think so, Fred?" yelled Marek at the top of his lungs with immense rage, "Our system has been hacked!" Meanwhile, Crystal was smiling and laughing with sheer delight: the four robotic monstrosities each had been cleaved into multiple pieces. Gremlin dropped to the floor on his knees as his armor and sword suddenly vanished without a trace, leaving the Sableye in his Gardevoir Satin wedding attire once again.

"Gremlin! We did it!" yelled Crystal, overcome with joy as she ran up and wrapped her arms around her Sableye in a tight embrace, "We destroyed those metal monsters!" Gremlin looked up at Crystal with a smile on his face.

"Yeah…" said Gremlin weakly, "We did it…"

"Come on, dear," said Crystal with concern, "We've got to get out of here before more of those… things show up."

"Okay…" said Gremlin, drawing in a deep, labored breath, "But we're not leaving K-1 behind. Besides, we still have to get through that stupid blast door…" Crystal flinched from fright and tightly held onto her mate as the thick, metal panel from the sealed entryway suddenly flew across the room and crashed into the wall at the opposite side of the room. The metal panel dropped to the floor with a resounding metallic "BOOM!"

"Finally got through that blasted door!" said G6 with pride, "That was easier than I thought it would be."

"Well, now we can get out of here," said a smiling Crystal.

"Not quite…" said Gremlin, still feeling very weak, "G6? Can you hear me? I need you to pick up K-1's remains… he should still be somewhere in this room."

"I've got quite a bit of rubble to sort through, but I'll do my best," said G6 as he cautiously entered the large chamber. Huge chunks of the ACT-1s littered the floor. Gremlin felt his strength beginning to return.

"He should be over here!" said Gremlin, calling out to G6 as he lead the way with Crystal at his side. Just as the Sableye, Kirlia and golem were about to look behind the large, armored exhibit where K-1 had fallen, they heard a series of the strangest, most bizarre noises they had ever heard.

"…(Buzz!)…(Blat!)…(Beeeeeeep!)…(Click!)…(Whirrr!)… It is… now… safe to… turn off your… computer…" said a familiar voice. Gremlin and his two friends glanced at each other.

"It can't be!" said Crystal, running towards where their dear friend had surely been destroyed. Instead, the trio of companions was utterly shocked at what their eyes beheld. K-1 was lying on his side and completely intact.

"Running diagnostics…" said K-1, his metal plating as shiny as if it were brand new and well-polished, "All systems are go." As for Gremlin and his awestruck friends, they couldn't help but wonder what had just transpired as K-1 stood back up on his own two feet. The bipedal robot had a look of bewilderment on his face as he took a gaze at each of is friends.

"What happened?" asked a confused K-1, "The last thing I remember was getting shot up by those ACT-1 units. There must be something wrong my systems: I register as being completely intact, but this cannot be. On top of that, several minutes passed without any documentation in my databanks. I should have recorded something during that elapsed time." K-1 was already perplexed about bad information keeping and the fact his body was in mint condition, despite getting pounded by the lethal fire from the ACT-1s. Now, he was starting to get rather concerned at the strange looks his friends were giving him.

"Am I malfunctioning? That must be the case," said K-1 as he suddenly opened his eyes as wide as they would open and shouted with immense fear, "The ACT-1s! They're still on the loose! Take cover or we'll all be destroyed!"

"K-1, relax," said Crystal calmly with a bright smile on her face, walking up to gently place her right hand on the panicking robot's left leg, "It's okay. Those… 'ACT-1s' were taken care of by my Gremlin. You are not malfunctioning."

"Are you sure?" asked K-1, now feeling more calm but still very uneasy, "Right before those blank areas in my memory, I registered a critical system failure. That has never happened before, so something dire must have befallen me."

"I'm not going to mince words," said Gremlin. K-1 watched as Gremlin held out his hands. Moments later, a small puff of dark purple smoke enveloped the Sableye's hands and forearms. The eerie cloud vanished shortly thereafter, revealing the small metal chest Gremlin had pulled from one of the exhibits earlier.

"Okay…" said a rather worried K-1, "Enlighten me."

"This small box is Gengar the Great's most powerful artifact," explained Gremlin, "Its power can only be awakened every 25 years. Basically, it can be used to alter reality in a limited manner." Crystal turned her gaze upon her mate.

"I think I understand what you mean by this box's power being limited," said the Kirlia with a sigh, "Besides you and me being safe, K-1 being revived and G6 being able to open that stuck door, I really wanted peace on earth and for the Black Pendant to be returned to its former state and location in the Olympus treasure room in the palace."

"I see…" said K-1, "You used the power of this artifact so you would be able to annihilate the ACT-1s, we would be able to escape this museum and I would be repaired."

"That's exactly what happened," said Gremlin as K-1 walked up to the severed head of one of the ACT-1 attack drones. He opened his chest compartment and extended several of his prehensile cables under the robot's cube-shaped head.

"What are you doing now, K-1?" asked a curious Crystal.

"I'm copying all the information I can from this robot's onboard memory. Thankfully, it is 100% intact," replied K-1 as he soon withdrew his cables from the fallen ACT-1, "All information has been successfully copied. I think Mack is going to need to see this programming data, as will Aura and Central."

"Speaking of Mack…" said Crystal, gazing upon Gremlin, "We better get out of here! I don't want to have to deal with more guards, robots or the police!"

"Same here," said Gremlin, turning his attention to K-1 and G6, "K-1, G6: Please head back to the S-5 and get it ready for departure. We better get out of here before the sun rises or the local authorities get here."

"Roger that!" said K-1 excitedly, "See you there!" With that, the robot and golem dashed out of the lathe chamber at top speed on their way back to the roof.

"We better get going, too, love," said Crystal.

"Not just yet," said Gremlin with a smirk, "I have one last little idea I want to try out…" By now, Marek and Fred had left the confines of the control room and were scouring every area in the museum they could reach. Soon, they had discovered all the places where the other guards had been stashed out of sight. The other security guards were still out-cold, so the two men ran towards the room where contact had been lost with the ACT-1s. They ran into the chamber, pistols drawn and ready to fire at a moment's notice. Much to their dismay, only the sliced-up hulks of the ACT-1 robots greeted them.

"I don't believe this…" said Fred with stark disbelief, "How could a few Pokémon cause this much damage to the most powerful attack drones on Earth?"

"Want to know something else unbelievable?" asked an irritated Marek, "The chances that we'll get to keep our jobs after this disaster! Those ACT-1s cost tens of millions of dollars each! The curator will have our heads for this!"

"Don't forget the artifacts which were stolen…" said Fred with a heavy sigh. The two men froze when they heard someone or something start to giggle from one of the nearby hallways. The guards glanced at each other, nodding their heads at each other in reply to an unspoken question. They slowly made their way to the once-sealed entryway. Without warning, they jumped out into the adjoining hallway with their guns drawn and fingers on the triggers. In but an instant, the two men had gone from feeling extremely angry and determined to kill whoever had been responsible for this mess at their museum, to now feeling afraid and very, very confused.

"What the devil…?" asked Marek to himself as he gazed upon what appeared to be a Sableye and a Kirlia, adorned with wedding dresses and fine jewelry. However, the two Pokémon were floating silently in the air, several feet off the ground and their figures were slightly transparent.

"More ghosts?" yelled Marek with fright. Suddenly, the two creatures turned around, laying eyes upon Fred and Marek before they flew away from the two security officers with surprising speed towards a stairwell in the distance: the only stairwell in the entire museum which had access to the roof.

"After them!" yelled Fred as he and his cohort gave chase. They climbed one set of stairs after another as fast as they possibly could in pursuit of the two spirits.

"How are we going to explain this disaster to the curator?" said Marek to his coworker, "He'll never believe a bunch of ghosts robbed the museum and cut down the ACT-1 prototypes!" Fred kicked open the door at the top of the stairwell and the two men ran out onto the roof with their pistols in hand. The bridal Sableye and Kirlia specters floated lazily in the air above the roof. The two guards were completely unaware the S-5 Heavy Carrier, named the _Titan_, was floating inches above the roof of the museum. K-1 was sitting in the pilot's chair. He had an inkling of what the crafty Sableye and Kirlia were planning.

"Let the show begin!" said K-1 with glee as he turned on the S-5's engines. Without warning, Fred and Marek were knocked off their feet and onto their backs from a sudden and very powerful gust of wind. They both managed to sit up straight, despite the howling stream of fast-moving air. Then, they looked on with awe, wonder and fear as a bright doorway suddenly appeared from out of thin air. The two Pokémon spirits flew into the massive entryway into an unseen ship of some kind. The two men couldn't stare into the doorway as the light radiating from it was too intense to look at for long. Finally, the doorway closed as the rushing wind suddenly became more intense. The two men were absolutely stunned and said not a word as the strong winds finally died down. Fred glanced over at his coworker.

"Make that… alien ghosts… Marek…?" asked Fred sheepishly. The other guard said nothing as dozens of police cruisers, patty wagons, armored vehicles, EMTs and fire trucks began to surround the perimeter of the Grand Museum of Alakaz.

**-152-**

The sun had begun to rise over the mountainous horizon to the east of the great city of Alakaz as the mighty _Titan_ began a slow, careful descent towards the roof of the old Alakaz Dance Hall. From what K-1 could gather, the jamming array onboard the S-5 had been more than enough to keep the large vehicle out of sight and surely they had not been followed. Once the rear cargo bay doors had opened out onto the dance hall's roof, the exhausted newlywed Sableye and Kirlia slowly made their way downstairs to their bedroom for a well-deserved rest. Before long, the S-5 was secured and hovering quietly and invisibly above the Alakaz Hall of Dance and Performance.

"Well, what shall we do next?" asked G6 to K-1.

"I suggest you keep a close eye on Gremlin and Crystal," answered K-1, "I the meantime, I have an errand to run."

"May I ask where you are going?" queried a curious G6.

"I need to keep this little take to myself for now," replied K-1, "I'll see you later. Don't worry about me. I should be back later this afternoon." G6 nodded his head as K-1 started on his way into the old brick building.

"Very well," said a contented G6. The large golem withdrew into the confines of the old building without another word. By late that afternoon, Gremlin and Crystal had rested well and were again dancing together on the big stage. K-1 soon returned to the dance hall, but despite a lot of questions being asked about where he went and why, the robot said not a word of what his errand had been all about. The days passed by without any further incident. Even the neurotic Pidgeys and Spearows had finally stopped crashing into the cloaked S-5 and were no longer accumulating on the roof of the dance hall. Gremlin and Crystal had definitely enjoyed their honeymoon. They had experienced great wonder, immense joy and even terrible sadness during their first few weeks together as mates. There was little doubt in the minds of anyone dwelling in the dance hall, Pokémon or machine, that Gremlin and Crystal would never forget the grand adventures they had experienced as newlyweds. However, the sun soon began to rise over Alakaz on the last day of the Sableye and Kirlia's honeymoon. The R-25s had neatly packed away all the equipment, food and other supplies that remained from the last few weeks. By late in the afternoon, the _Titan_ had been packed up while Gremlin and Crystal were preparing themselves for their journey back to their home in the white marble city of Olympus. However, before leaving, Gremlin had requested one last dance on the grand stage of the dance hall with his lovely wife, Crystal. However, it didn't take long for one last dance to become several as the newlyweds danced together in their wedding attire by themselves in the voluminous auditorium. Despite becoming more tired as time ticked away, Gremlin just wanted to spend one last happy moment in the place he called home for so many years.

"My little ballerina?" asked Gremlin sweetly to his mate, "I don't suppose you would be in the mood for one last waltz with me on this grand stage, would you?" Crystal gazed deep into her mate's enchanting eyes and giggled happily.

"Okay, my love," said Crystal, smirking at her husband, "But that's what you said 10 waltzes ago."

"I guess so you're right…" cackled Gremlin, blushing slightly from embarrassment, "Well, this will be the last dance. I promise." The Sableye and Kirlia joined hands one last time on the old stage. For Gremlin, leaving this place behind for good was going to be one of the hardest things he had done in a long time. Still, he enjoyed that last quiet, peaceful dance with Crystal before he would walk off that stage for the last time. The moment approached quickly when the dancers would have to end their little duet. Instead of ending the waltz in a graceful pose, Gremlin stepped towards Crystal. The newlyweds wrapped their warms around each other in a loving embrace and they kissed passionately for what seemed like many minutes. Eventually, the lovers broke their kiss and they stared at one another, smiling and blushing.

"I guess this is it," said Crystal tenderly.

"Yeah… I guess so," said Gremlin with a friendly smile as he held his beloved Kirlia close, "I'm really going to miss this place. I learned so much here…"

"And you will get to teach me what you learned here when we get back to our home in Olympus," said Crystal, giggling happily, "After all, I know a shifty little Sableye who needs to teach me hula, the can-can and belly dancing."

"My, my…" said Gremlin, blushing deeply with a smirk on his face, "We're going to have to find you some nice outfits for all those dancing lessons, won't we?"

"Those costumes had better be cute, too," giggled Crystal, her face was a bright hue of red. Just as the love-struck Sableye and Kirlia were about to kiss once again, the doors at the center aisle of the auditorium were thrown open, revealing K-1.

"Hello!" said K-1 cheerfully as he walked down the aisle and towards the stage, "Is everything going well?"

"I would say so," said a happy Gremlin, he and Crystal still locked together in a loving embrace.

"Good to hear," said K-1 cheerfully, "I'm not interrupting anything important, am I?"

"Well, Gremlin and I had just finished with our last dance on this stage, so I don't think you're intruding on us," said a very happy Crystal, "Is there something you need to speak with us about, K-1?" The robot smiled at the young Kirlia.

"As a matter of fact, yes," answered K-1, turning his robotic eyes upon Gremlin, "I have a few little treats for both of you. The first one I wish to reveal now. The other one will come later. I think you will both enjoy these little surprises."

"I don't see why not," said Gremlin, cackling with glee, "I do like surprises. What is the first one?" K-1 chuckled warmly.

"Well, this unexpected gift is mainly for you, Gremlin," said K-1 as he turned his head around a full 180 degrees to face the open doors at the back of the aisle, "Mr. Allens? Would you please come into the auditorium? I have a few friends I would like you to meet." Gremlin was a bit apprehensive as a 6' foot tall elderly man, dressed in a dark blue, pinstripe suit and wearing shiny black shoes stepped through the aisle entryway and slowly made his way towards the stage. Crystal was scared as she rarely ever saw humans so close. Gremlin held his wife close to his body, whispering assurances into her right ear.

"It's okay, my love," said Gremlin tenderly, "I think I know who this man is. He's a very good person."

"So this is the ghost who haunted this building for so long?" asked the perplexed, sage man with a raised eyebrow.

"Indeed he is, John," said K-1, "He's the one I wanted you to meet before making your declaration to the press."

"Ah, ha!" said the very cheerful man as he stepped up onto the stage and knelt down in front of the Sableye and Kirlia so they could be face to face. He held out his right hand towards Gremlin with a friendly smile on his face.

"You don't need to be afraid of me. Allow me to introduce myself;" said the man with a gentle voice, "My name is John Allens: I am the current mayor of Alakaz and owner of the finest hotel in the entire Gardev Region. K-1 has told me a lot bout each of you. I must say, any friend of the Guardians of Gardev is a friend of mine. Now, who might you be?"

"My… my name is Crystal," said the Kirlia with long blue hair hesitantly, adorned in her lavish wedding dress, assorted sparkling jewelry, trailing lace veil and with a shimmering red sash tied around her waist.

"Ah," said John happily, "For a Kirlia, you are quite lovely. Best wishes to you on your recent marriage."

"Why, thank you," said Crystal delightedly with a friendly smile, now feeling much calmer.

"And I'm Gremlin," said the Sableye with a grin as he reached out and gently shook John's hand, "Nice to meet you in person."

"Likewise!" said John ecstatically, "Congratulations to you, Gremlin on your wedding! If you don't mind me saying so, seeing a Sableye in a wedding dress is a little strange for me, but since you married a Kirlia, I must admit it suits you well."

"Pardon me, Mr. Allens," said Crystal with a gentle voice, "But may you please tell us why you are here?"

"Oh? Your robot friend said nothing to you about my visit here today?" asked John, glancing over his right shoulder at K-1.

"I wanted this to be a surprise for Gremlin," said K-1 with a nod of his metallic head.

"Oh, yes… that's right," said John, returning his gaze and attention to Gremlin and Crystal, "Tell me, my fried: are you actually the Sableye who haunted this building so long ago? Back during and after the short-lived mining boom in this region?"

"I wouldn't say I actually haunted this building," said Gremlin sheepishly, "I just considered the Alakaz Dance Hall to be my home. Do you have the time to hear a long story?"

"I don't have any pressing matters which require my attention," said John, sitting down on the polished wooden floor of the stage, "Please. Tell me all about it." Gremlin and Crystal sat down on the polished wood floor as well while K-1 stood quietly and motionless. For the next hour, the Sableye told John all about how he had come across the Alakaz Hall of Dance and Performance decades ago when searching for a new home. The mayor was quite amazed at Gremlin's tale: how the Sableye had taken a liking to dancing and spent many years learning all the forms of dance which had been taught and performed in the once-exquisite building. Then, there was Gremlin's disastrous premier late one night during a performance of the classic ballet, The Nutcracker. John nodded his head with understanding.

"I see…" said John, "So that's what really happened. You overheard the dance hall's owner talking about how he was going to have to close down this building due to failing income. Therefore, since you had been living here for so long, you decided you should try and help him out."

"Exactly," said Gremlin with nervous chuckling, "In the end, despite unintentionally scaring everyone clean out of the dance hall, the owner of the Alakaz Dance Hall and all the remaining staff each got a large sum of money from an old insurance policy. They all ended up doing well after all."

"Did you know the original owner of this building is still alive?" asked a curious John, "What was his name again…? Ah, yes! Everyone called him Mr. Wilson." Gremlin went wide-eyed at the sound of this news.

"He's still alive?" asked Gremlin with disbelief, "I thought he passed away years ago. I never did get the chance to meet him in person… I think I at least owe him an apology…"

"He's alive and well, spending his twilight years in the quiet village of Gardev," explained John, "At K-1's insistence, I managed to get a hold of Mr. Wilson on the telephone yesterday. He still holds the deed to this property as the insurance policy allowed him to retain this building and land until the unlikely event which the Alakaz Dance Hall could be reopened. Oddly enough, some high-ranking senator from this region has been asking Mr. Wilson for several years now if he could buy this property for some sort of industrial development."

"Ah. That would be one Gregory Allens, the CEO of the Allens Corporation," said K-1 with a scowl.

"Of course," said John with a shudder, "I never did like that man. There was something strange, almost ominous about him… I can't put my finger on it though…"

"Anyway, what did Mr. Wilson have to say?" asked Gremlin, drawing a deep breath. John smiled at the Sableye.

"Mr. Wilson said that if the building was salvageable, he would pass on the property to someone in his family he could trust," replied John, "The exterior of the dance hall is in pretty rough shape and will need a lot of work, but the interior is in immaculate condition, despite all the years this place was abandoned. K-1's reports were perfectly accurate."

"You really can't expect anything less from a finely-tuned machine such as myself," said K-1 with pride.

"Indeed," said John, nodding his head in agreement.

"So, what's going to happen to the dance hall?" asked Crystal.

"Well, since the building is most definitely worthy of restoration, I am going to have the city council declare the Alakaz Hall of Dance and Performance as a historical landmark," said John with glee, "I already assured Mr. Wilson that the building will be fully restored and also reopened. I am personally going to finance the restoration. Then, Mr. Wilson's great, great grandson will be on his way to get this place opened back up. There are very few entertainment centers in Alakaz, let alone the Gardev Region. I think the Alakaz Dance Hall is going to be a hit, especially since my city has grown so much in the last few decades." Gremlin was utterly speechless. He figured the dilapidated dance hall, his former home where he had learned to dance like a professional, was going to be demolished within a matter of days.

"What do you think?" asked John. The old mayor and Crystal were shocked when they saw Gremlin fall flat onto his back.

"Gremlin? Dear? Are you okay?" asked Crystal fearfully. The Sableye was smiling with his eyes half open.

"I'm okay, Crystal," said Gremlin blissfully, "I think this is among the best news I've ever heard, taking a distant second only to when you accepted my proposal of marriage, my lovely ballerina." Crystal giggled, blushing slightly as she helped her mate get back up on his feet.

"Well, there you have it," said a smiling John, shrugging his shoulders, "The Alakaz Dance Hall is going to be completely restored and will reopen within a matter of months."

"So… this is the secret errand you had gone on a few days ago, K-1?" asked Gremlin with glee.

"Yep! I met with Mr. Allens and made sure all the proper arrangements were in place," was K-1's cheerful answer, "Now you don't have to worry about your old home being knocked down. Maybe having this building preserved will put a little damper on Gregory Allens's plans for the region." Memories of the devastating attack by the ACT-1 defense drones were still very fresh indeed on K-1's mind.

"I second that," said John with a frown, "My great uncle has been trying to get this area rezoned for some sort of factory for a long time. He bought up every last piece of property out here, except for the dance hall." The mayor laughed warmly to himself as he looked upon Gremlin and Crystal.

"Well, even though I never got to meet you two before, I guess you could consider this little endeavor to restore and protect the dance hall as a wedding present from me and K-1," said John.

"Perhaps you would like to join us for dinner?" suggested K-1.

"I think that's a marvelous idea, don't you, handsome?" asked Crystal with a sweet smile and gentle voice.

"I agree," said Gremlin excitedly and with a single nod of his head, "Would you care to join us, Mr. Allens?"

"I would be delighted," said John happily, taking another gaze at Gremlin and Crystal in their wedding attire.

"Um… what are you staring at?" asked a slightly confused Crystal. The old mayor's eyes fell upon the red sashes worn being worn around the waists of the Sableye and young Kirlia.

"If memory serves me correctly, I remember reading legends many years ago concerning the Gardevoirs and ballet," remarked John, "Are you both ballet instructors?"

"Yes, we are!" said Gremlin and Crystal quite cheerfully and in perfect unison with each other.

"Tell you what…" said John, smiling in a friendly manner, "After the dance hall is restored, would you two like the honor of having the first dance here to celebrate the grand reopening of this dance hall? It would be a private performance with just me and any friends you would want to invite."

"Hmmmm…" said Gremlin with a grin, deeply in thought. John, Crystal and K-1 waited patiently for several minutes, wondering what the Sableye would say of the mayor's proposal.

"Actually, I want to plan something much more grand," said Gremlin, motioning for the mayor and his wife to come close. The Sableye whispered his grand scheme very quietly, despite the fact that K-1 could easily hear him via his potent, onboard sensors. The robot nodded his head appreciatively.

"That's actually a very interesting idea…" remarked K-1.

"You have quite the imagination," said a very happy John, "I think we should do as you say."

"You'll have to coordinate with Warren and the King of Olympus, Glacian," cautioned Gremlin, "But I'm sure they will agree."

"Let us hope so," said John with a nod of his head, "Now then… I believe I was invited to dinner?"

"Of course," said K-1, "The R-25s should be finished with preparations by now. Please follow me to the dining room." As K-1 started on his way out of the auditorium, John gazed upon Gremlin and Crystal with a look of bewilderment on his face.

"What on earth is an R-25?" asked a confused John.

"You'll see," said Gremlin with a smirk.

"They're quite harmless," reassured Crystal. Soon, John and his two new Pokémon friends were on their way up to the apartments which had been built onto the dance hall during its construction. The hallway leading up to the small dining room was unusually quiet. In addition, for some reason, the lighting in the dining room had been switched off. Pleasant smells drifted into the hallway through the open entryway of the relatively small chamber. John followed closely behind Gremlin and Crystal as they cautiously approached the darkened room.

"Something isn't right here," said Gremlin as he, Crystal and John stepped up to the dark doorway. Without warning, all the lights in the dining room flicked on in an instant! Gremlin and his two friends were momentarily blinded by the sudden glare.

"Surprise!" yelled K-1 and three familiar voices with great joy. Gremlin rubbed his eyes, as did Crystal and John.

"Nice to see you again so soon, son!" said a grinning Sableye, sitting at the table next to a smiling Jynx.

"We're delighted to see you as well, Crystal," said the Jynx cheerfully. Only a few seconds passed before Gremlin and his wife's vision had cleared: they now recognized Asmodeus, Cheryl and Michael, sitting at Asmodeus's right side.

"Mom? Dad? Michael?" said Gremlin with great joy, "What are you doing here? I thought you left Alakaz days ago! It's so nice to see all of you again!"

"I am delighted as well," said Crystal with a bright smile.

"I hope… I'm not intruding…" said John anxiously.

"Not at all!" said Asmodeus happily, motioning with his right hand for Gremlin, Crystal and the mayor of Alakaz to sit down at the dining room table. Much to everyone's delight, they all managed to sit down comfortably at the small table. There were also just enough chairs.

"This is my second surprise," said K-1 cheerfully, "I'll let your parents explain why and how they returned."

"Indeed," said Asmodeus with a nod, "Although, there really isn't much to tell. We were on our way to the Gardev Mountains, but we managed to forget the sheer distance we were going to have to travel over the vast deserts, alpine forests and ice-capped peeks in order to get to the Gardevoir city of Olympus. After a few days of travel, we decided our best bet would be to return to the Alakaz Dance Hall and see if we might be able to get a ride from you all the way to Olympus."

"I certainly have no problems taking more passengers," said K-1, "Asmodeus, Cheryl and Michael: you are more than welcome to join us in our return trip to the village of Gardev and then to Olympus." Despite K-1's welcoming attitude and the cheerful nature of Gremlin and Crystal, Asmodeus, Cheryl and Michael were still apprehensive about traveling to the hidden Gardevoir city.

"Are you absolutely certain the king and queen there will welcome us?" asked Asmodeus.

"I know King Glacian and Queen Gloria," said Gremlin with a reassuring tone of voice, "They would never turn you away."

"If you say so, my son," said Asmodeus with a sigh of relief, "You've never let me down before, so I imagine you are right."

"We have to meet with the rulers of Olympus, anyway," said Cheryl, "There is much we all need to discuss with them."

"I think I know what you mean," said Gremlin, "I have a lot I need to talk to you about as well."

"Such as?" inquired Asmodeus. Gremlin replied with but one word.

"Twilight," said the Sableye in a very serious tone of voice. As evening soon came upon Alakaz, the group of Pokémon and one human were soon dining on yet another delightful meal, expertly prepared by K-1 and the R-25s. The conversations were also a lot more pleasant as the evening wore on. John had felt out of place, dining on a fine meal with several Pokémon and being surrounded by robots. Still, he became more relaxed and greatly enjoyed the time with his many new friends. Despite the good times, everyone in that dance hall knew they would need to depart before long. John Allens, the mayor of Alakaz, promised not to tell anyone about what had transpired that evening. The final minutes before Gremlin and Crystal would return home were now ticking away. The remaining food and supplies from the kitchen and dining room were packed away in the _Titan_ and everyone did their part to make sure the dance hall was completely secured. The lights throughout the building fell dark as Gremlin and his companions made their way to the roof to board the S-5. As for John, he made sure the front entrance was locked as he made his way back to his car. In the _Titan_, K-1 was making final preparations as he began to power up the heavy carrier's engines and repulsar lifts.

"Let me get this straight," said Asmodeus with disbelief, "Your name is G6 and you are a Ghost Forme automaton, built by Gengar the Great himself?" The golem nodded his head in reply.

"You are quite correct, Asmodeus," said G6 politely, "My duty now is to protect Gremlin and Crystal."

"I have the feeling my son has a lot to discuss with me, indeed," said an awestruck Asmodeus. Not far from where Gremlin's father and the golem were standing was the cockpit. K-1, as usual, was at the controls, readying the _Titan_ for liftoff. Gremlin, Crystal, Michael and Cheryl all managed to find seats in the cockpit. Gremlin was sitting in the copilot's chair with Crystal on his lap, Michael was at the communications officer's console and Cheryl was sitting behind K-1 in the system operator's seat.

"Please keep your hands away from the controls," asked K-1 politely, "I'll handle all the flying."

"Works for me!" laughed Cheryl, "I don't have the slightest clue how this magnificent flying machine even works!"

"Crystal, Gremlin?" asked Michael nervously, "Are you sure I'm going to enjoy my new home in Olympus?"

"Trust me, bro," replied a cheerful Gremlin, "You'll love the city." Crystal nodded her head in agreement.

"There is a lot you can do and learn in Olympus," said Crystal with a friendly smile to her new brother in-law, "You did say you wanted to try ballet, right?"

"You bet!" said a very enthusiastic Michael, "Do you think you and Gremlin can teach me?"

"That can be arranged," answered Gremlin, "After all, Crystal and I will begin our teaching duties next week."

"Very true," said Crystal, taking a nice long look at her lover's face, "I'm looking forward to seeing you dance in your lovely ballet attire again, my little monster." Cheryl giggled happily, wondering what wonderful things would await her family once they set foot in the great marble metropolis of Olympus. Meanwhile, on the roof of a building not far from the Alakaz Dance Hall, a group of Pidgeys and Spearows were still roosting on the edge of the structure. For days, none of them had been either brave or stupid enough to try and get through the invisible and very tough barrier which had appeared on the dance hall's roof a few weeks ago.

"I don't know about you…" said one Pidgey to a nearby Spearow, "But even though that metal cat released everyone who tried to get through the invisible wall, I really don't want to give myself a concussion or crack my skull open to try and impress the ladies. I give up…"

"Do you, now?" said a voice with cruel laughter from above the group of several dozen, unevolved avian Pokémon. The Pidgeys and Spearows looked up to see a lone Fearow, flapping its wings leisurely as it touched down upon the building's roof. The Fearow smirked at the small bird Pokémon.

"I'm surprised," said the Fearow, laughing up a storm, "I came all the way here from the Gardev Forests to the north, seeking a challenge and the rest of you have gone chicken?"

"We're not scared or stupid!" snapped another Pidgey.

"At least we've wised-up now…" grumbled a nearby Spearow.

"Amateurs! That's all you guys are!" scoffed the Fearow, "So, a little invisible wall has soundly defeated all of you. Heh! I bet I could get through that wall with my eyes closed!"

"Oh! You sure are brave," giggled a female Pidgey, "Unlike the rest of these chickens…"

"Who are you calling a chicken?" snarled yet another Spearow.

"Yeah! That was uncalled for!" yelled a nearby Pidgey.

"Why don't you fly on over to Kentucky and get fried up by that kooky colonel!" said another angered Pidgey, "Don't let the fact that he passed away decades ago stop you!"

"That's no way to talk to a lady…" growled the Fearow.

"Hmmm! Brave and chivalrous," said the female Pidgey happily, sighing blissfully, "My, my… if only I was a Fearow, too…"

"Sadly, that is true," said the determined Fearow, smiling at the young female Pidgey, "You're far too young for me and the wrong species, but I'm still going to put on quite the show."

"You're seriously not going to try and get through that invisible wall, are you?" asked a flabbergasted Pidgey.

"Of course I am!" snapped the overconfident Fearow, "I'm going to show you all how it's done, especially for that little cutie in the corner over there." The female Pidgey, who admired the Fearow blushed and giggled nervously.

"Well, enough with the stalling," said the Fearow with unshakeable determination and no shortage of arrogance as he spread his wings and started to flap them vigorously, "Watch and learn, amateurs!" The group of bird Pokémon looked on as the Fearow quickly flew up into the sky. After only a minute, the strong Fearow was now flying at about 10,000 feet. His keen eyes were fixed upon the roof of the dilapidated dance hall.

"This should be a piece of cake," thought the Fearow with glee as he leaned forward and held his wings close to his body. The immensely confident Fearow was now diving towards the ground at top speed, ready to unfurl his wings and buzz the dance hall rooftop at full speed. Meanwhile, John was just about to step into his car when he looked up towards sky. A small, fast-moving blur was heading towards the ground.

"What the heck is that?" asked John Allens to himself, bewildered at this bizarre sight. In the S-5's cockpit, the buzzing of an alarm got the immediate attention of K-1. He looked at the _Titan__'__s_ radar screens, mounted into the console in front of him as an unidentified object came careening towards the cloaked heavy carrier. A message in red letters flashed over and over again at the bottom of all the radar scopes. The message simply read "Impact Imminent".

"Is something wrong?" asked a worried Cheryl as the _Titan_ began to lift away from the dance hall below.

"I'm… not sure…" stammered K-1, "Hold on, everyone! I don't have enough time to maneuver: we're too close to the dance hall! Whatever that thing is, it's going to hit us in two seconds, so hold on!" For the approaching Fearow, victory seemed delightfully close as he continued his dive towards the rooftop below. He unfurled his wings, ready to pull up at the last possible moment. K-1 looked up from his control console just in tome to see a huge bird coming towards him with blinding speed.

"GAAAH!" screamed K-1 as the Fearow smashed into the huge, clear covering of the cockpit. The S-5 lurched violently forward and a loud, sickening "SMACK!" echoed throughout the surrounding blocks. K-1 quickly regained control of the heavy carrier and looked up with shock at the huge bird, now plastered to the clear, rounded half dome of the cockpit. The Fearow blinked its eyes once, wondering what had just happened. From the surprised Fearow's point of view, he had just crashed into an invisible object at full force several feet above the dance hall's rooftop. Now, the unseen object seemed to be moving.

"Just when I though I had seen the last of those insane birds!" snarled K-1 while he made the S-5 lean forward. The stunned Fearow slipped right off the cockpit's massive, curved windshield and onto the rooftop below. The vast majority of the Pidgeys and Spearows, roosting on the edge of the nearby building had not even flinched when the Fearow had smashed right into the invisible wall which had taunted them all for weeks. One Pidgey glared at the female bird who moments ago had been so impressed with the Fearow's bravery and determination.

"So… still think the 'Sensible/Same Species as You' type is not the thing for you?" demanded the irritated Pidgey. The feminine bird said nothing. The S-5 flew away at top speed, completely unseen and unheard as K-1 and company began their trip back into the Gardev Mountains to the east. As for the birds of Alakaz, word quickly spread about the horrid failure of the brash Fearow and the others who had tried to get through an unseen wall which apparently was hovering over the roof of the dance hall. The news traveled to the surrounding regions in a matter of days. As a result, for several years, not one avian Pokémon would dare fly above the roof of the Alakaz Hall of Dance and Performance or even come close to the building, fearful the legendary invisible wall and the strange metal cat were still waiting to collect yet more victims…


	16. Section 16

**-153-**

Gregory Allens was seething with rage while he lay on his cushy bed in his lavish mansion. He was doing his best to remain calm and trying to rest after suffering a heart attack just a few days ago. Even though the CEO of the Allens Corporation was expected to make a full recover, nothing but bad news seemed to be coming from all directions for Gregory: be it from Team Shadow or his own family. The aging Gardev Region senator had managed to contact his family members and many of them had come to visit him while he rested in his grand home. However, much to Gregory's outrage, Warren, Alfred, John, Jake and his wife Makoto and their little daughter Sakura still wanted nothing to do with their "Sick" family member. The phone call Gregory had made to Warren just yesterday was still fresh on his mind. He remembered picking up the phone off his nightstand and dialing the number to Warren's mansion in the Gardev village, unaware of what kind of welcome he was going to receive.

"Confound it, Gregory! I told you never to call me!" said Warren with hot anger, "I should have had this number blocked ages ago! Now what the heck do you want?"

"Put your prejudice aside for once, you old fool!" snapped Gregory, completely unable to keep his cool, "I'm laying here in my home, possibly dying and you still hate me so?"

"Dying? What happened?" asked Warren with just an ounce of concern. Gregory drew a deep breath before he spoke again.

"I had a considerable heart attack a few days ago," said Gregory calmly, "I'm expected to make a full recovery, though the doctors have made no promises."

"Hrmph!" scoffed Warren, "I don't believe you."

"Don't you read the Alakaz Gazette anymore, Warren?" demanded Gregory, once again losing his patience.

"I avoid any articles with our family name in them," was Warren's harsh reply, "A pity that coronary didn't finish you off." Gregory grasped onto the phone as hard as he could, feeling like he could crush the receiver in his palm.

"What is with you, Warren?" demanded Gregory, "You, your brothers and you descendants still insist on disowning the rest of your own family to this day. Why is that?"

"You know why…" growled Warren, "Ever since one of our predecessors discovered and then laid waste to a city of Gardevoirs, murdering and plundering as they went. One of our ancestors had begged his brother not do such a horrible thing, but he went ahead with his vile scheme anyway! To this day, that valley is still in ruins and littered with the bones of hundreds of the Ralts, Kirlias and Gardevoirs who perished in that underhanded and evil attack!"

"Why is that a pair of brothers always seems to create a rift in our family time and again…" said Gregory with despair, "What have I done to get you and your brothers so angry at me?"

"Well, for starters, I know you're the one who keeps having my permit to get those dangerous Houndooms out of my vineyards denied!" yelled Warren, "Instead, you sided with a bunch of environmental crazies instead of me, your own nephew!"

"I've explained this to you so many times," said Gregory with a heavy sigh, "Those vineyards fall in the borders of the Gardev Wildlife Preserve; therefore, it is illegal for anyone to interfere with the wild Pokémon in the area."

"Unless a permit to remove troublesome Pokémon is approved," said Warren angrily "And you know that!"

"I also know those co-called 'Crazies' are among my strongest supporters. Without them, my reelections would be much more difficult. Just let nature take its course, Warren. That's all you are allowed to do, unless you wish to spend your last years alive in jail," said Gregory bluntly.

"So, you chose to follow the whims of a radical environmentalist group instead of trying to protect the people of a village from hundreds of lethal and bloodthirsty creatures?" asked Warren.

"I doubt there are so many of them," said Gregory calmly and with a smile, "Just let me know if anyone is attacked by those creatures while in the borders of your dying, obsolete village."

"You're not serious…" said Warren with stark disbelief, "…Is it really going to have to come down to those monsters injuring or killing someone before you'll take action?"

"The main goal of removing those Houndooms is to resurrect the wine business in Gardev, is in not?" asked Gregory.

"Well, yes," admitted Warren, "This region was famous for its wine, but none has been produced in over 40 years."

"Well, I am not going to sacrifice the well-being of your 'Hundred and One Houndooms' just so you can restart and make a profit from the valley wineries again," said Gregory with a smirk, "You are not to interfere with the wildlife in the preserve and that is final. Still, if you think I deserve to have died from that heart attack, maybe you deserve to be ripped to shreds by the Houndooms as punishment for disregarding the vast majority of your own family. Why won't you let Jake and Makoto visit me? I've never met them or even seen so much as a picture of their young daughter."

"Because there's something wrong with you and the rest of our family," said Warren with restrained anger, "I don't know what it is or why, but I know there is something quite strange about you, Gregory, and our family. Tell me: how come, throughout our family history, has one good brother had to face off against an evil one time and time again? The founder of Gardev even had to fend off his own brother to protect his small village!"

"I suppose I should find and then lay waste to another Pokémon city," said Gregory with bitter sarcasm, "Only then could I understand why you, your brothers and your offspring continue to hate me and the rest of our family!" For several agonizing moments, there was nothing but silence over the phone.

"I'll say this much," warned the mayor of Gardev, "You had better never lay a hand on Jake, Makoto or their daughter nor should you ever set foot in my village or I'll end you myself!"

"No worries, Warren," said Gregory, "I see trying to pursue a healthy relationship with you and the rest of your outcasts would be a complete waste of time."

"Feel free to call me when you stop manufacturing weapons, stop the hostile takeovers of any company that so much as sneezes in your direction, stop giving in to a bunch of environmental loonies… oh: also when you stop using the riches from that fallen Gardevoir city to finance your company and senatorial campaigns. I know darn well that's how the Allens Corporation started!" said a very angry Warren.

"You know very well our ancestor's story was just a pack of horrible lies," said Gregory with a calm voice.

"That's not what my sources say!" retorted Warren.

"Whatever…" said Gregory nonchalantly, "One of these days, you're going to pay for disowning your own bloodline."

"Enough of this," said Warren, "I have better things to do than spend the rest if my day arguing with you."

"I would agree with that," said Gregory, "Please, let's be civil about this, Warren. I may not have much time left before I pass on and I greatly desire to make amends with you, even if I only get to see your descendants for but one day."

"Well, I try to be an agreeable man, but know this:" warned the sage Gardev mayor, "I don't know what's been going on with you and several of our ancestors, but you know full well what the problem is. Repent of the evil you've committed and then we'll talk. Is that understood?" Gregory let out another heavy sigh.

"What evil have I done?" asked an impatient Gregory.

"You should ask that question yourself," said Warren, "Now, don't call me again until you've changed your mind. Farewell." Though the conversation with Warren ended fairly well, Gregory was still frustrated beyond endurance that a small sect of the Allens family was still set against the rest of the bloodline. This had been the case for many, many years.

"Don't waste your breath…" said Shadow Mack's voice from within the confines of Gregory's mind, "Even that old coot knows there is something strange about you and that would be me."

"Sometimes I wish I had never made this pact…" grumbled Gregory.

"What was that?" screamed Shadow Mack with hot anger. Gregory gasped as he felt an unseen force grab onto his heart.

"You made the decision to by my vessel of your own free will!" snarled Shadows Mack as Gregory howled with pain, "You promised to wage war against anyone who would dare to aid my adversary!"

"And… what will you do if you kill me…?" demanded Gregory weakly, "Your very spirit could come apart… you are much weaker than you once were and you know it."

"Indeed, you are right," right said Shadow Mack as the invisible force released Gregory's heart from its iron grip.

"Of course…" said Gregory, trying to catch his breath.

"Look on the bright side, my friend," said Shadow Mack in a more relaxed tone of voice, "So what if a few dozen members of your family hate your guts? The other hundreds of your family members adore you and love you. Warren disowns you: get over it. It's the price you have to pay for your success while being under my guidance all these years. As long as you're not foolish, you will live at least another ten years." Gregory jumped as a pair of tall, yet thin figures, wearing dark cloaks and white masks suddenly set foot in his bedroom.

"Ah!" said Gregory with delight, "Lord Cyan and Grand Commander Argus! I'm so glad to see you both." The aging senator was rather confused, for his two top-level officers in Team Shadow spoke not a word and did not seem to be pleased in the least.

"What's going on?" asked Gregory with bewilderment, "I've heard nothing but bad news out of Team Shadow for days on end. Surely you have some success to report to me, right…?"

"Sire, I hate to say this…" said Argus, dropping down on his knees before Gregory, "…But… the artifacts we recovered from Twilight… they… they were…"

"Just come out and tell me," ordered Gregory, "My patience is wearing thin. What happened to those relics?"

"Someone beat our reclamation teams to all the museums by only a matter of hours!" said Argus with anguish, "All the artifacts were taken and whoever did manage all those heists got away without a trace…" Gregory's eyes were glowing with a bright red light, indicating his immense rage.

"That's impossible!" thundered Gregory with hot anger, "You planned ahead for days to have our agents steal those relics, even going to far as to purposely sabotage key areas of the security systems beforehand!"

"That's not the worst of it…" whimpered Argus, "The A.C.T. 1 prototypes we had stationed at the Grand Museum of Alakaz were all utterly destroyed…"

"You had better be lying to me…" snarled Gregory, "Those units cost tens of millions of dollars each!"

"It's true, your majesty," said Cyan with a heavy sigh, "The ACT-1s are only fit for the scrap yard now. At least their onboard data storage systems were intact. Hopefully, we can learn a lot from their combat data. Maybe we'll even see what was able to take down those powerful robots so easily."

"I suppose so…" said Gregory, "Nonetheless, I cannot accept this failure… far too much was lost!"

"What have I done to anger you, sire?" asked a surprised Cyan.

"You have done nothing to disappoint me, Lord Cyan," snarled Gregory, his harsh gaze falling upon the Grand Commander, "Argus! You are the third-highest ranking officer in all of Team Shadow and this disaster is all you have to show for you last few weeks of hard work?"

"What… what was I supposed to do, sire?" asked Argus with fright, "I had no idea any of this was going to happen!"

"I don't want to hear any more excuses!" thundered Gregory, "You are one of only two members of Team Shadow who were given the privilege of visiting the Golden Room! You have the power of foresight now! Did you not try and learn how to use it?"

"I… I was busy dealing with…" stammered Argus, "I had to spend my time coordinating my agents… and…"

"I've heard enough, Grand Commander…" said Gregory with absolute hatred in his voice, "You've already visited the Golden Room, so I can't demote you for this outrage. This means I'll have to find an… alternative way of punishing you. One where you surely will never fail me again…" Argus rose to his feet in an instant, fearing for his life. He was about to make a run for it out of Gregory's room when Cyan harshly placed his hands on the Grand Commander's shoulders and forcibly brought the terrified officer back down on his knees. Gregory held up his left hand, slowly outstretching his fingers when suddenly, a dark tendril erupted from his hand and shot out with surprising speed. The black tentacle drove itself into Argus. The Grand Commander let out a scream of sheer terror and while terrible agony coursed through every inch of his body.

"Learn well, Grand Commander!" Gregory said with an evil smile over his face, shouting over Argus's screams, "I would have killed you right here and now, but you mean too much to me! Consider this your first and only warning: learn how to use ALL of your powers and use them to their fullest or you will suffer the same terrible fate as your predecessor!" With that, Gregory lowered his hand and the inky-black tendril vanished in an instant. Argus fell forward onto his face, quivering with fear as intense pain continued to course throughout his body.

"Do I make myself clear, Grand Commander Argus?" asked Gregory with a soft, yet malevolent voice.

"Yes… sire…" said Argus weakly. Gregory looked up at Cyan.

"Get him out of here this instant," ordered Gregory, "And Lord Cyan, you had best teach Argus how to use his new abilities and teach him well, for both your sakes. Once the Golden Room is fully operational, neither of you will be nonexpendable." Lord Cyan bowed out of respect and fear of his master. Without another word, Cyan helped Argus get back on his feet and led his comrade out of Gregory's room.

"Torture me, will you, over something that was well beyond my control?" thought Argus with deep hatred, "I may not be human anymore, but I'm not an animal either!"

"I can hear you…" warned Cyan with a soft voice, "I would agree that Gregory was out of line…"

"And yet you forced me to stay there and almost get killed by that horrible man! I only hope his replacement is at least twice as friendly as that wrinkled old monster!" growled Argus, "Maybe I'll still live long enough to see that old coot bite the dust!"

"Watch your mouth, Argus," cautioned Cyan, "You had best not fall out of line, or I'll end you myself." Eventually, Cyan had managed to drag Argus into a hidden room in the mansion's basement. Cyan helped the injured Grand Commander get onto one of the beds in the hidden chamber.

"I'll be back for you in the morning," said Lord Cyan with a snarl, "You had better be ready, for it appears that you will need to undergo some very tough training to not only learn how to use all of your new powers, but to know when to hold your tongue!" The secret door of the hidden chamber closed quickly as Cyan left the room. Argus lay still for several minutes, hoping his superior officer was now long gone before he dare let another thought loose in his mind.

"What have I gotten myself into…?"

**-154-**

Night had fallen over the small, alpine village of Gardev. The cloaked and rather quiet S-5, both hidden and silenced by its powerful jamming array, had descended back into the underground hanger below Warren's backyard. K-1 had actually missed being in Mack's hidden laboratory and he was very happy to be back home. The lab's R-25 robots, as well as the ones riding onboard the _Titan_, made quick work of putting away all the remaining supplies which had not been used during Gremlin and Crystal's honeymoon. Needless to say, Central was also delighted to have her robotic counterpart home safe and sound.

"Welcome back, K-1!" said Central happily, training several of her cameras upon the perimeter of the heavy carrier, "I welcome you back to Gardev as well, Gremlin and Crystal." Much to Crystal's delight and to her in-laws bemusement, Gremlin was again carrying her over his left shoulder.

"Nice to hear your voice again, Central," giggled Crystal.

"I see you and Gremlin are still having a ball," said Central happily and with warm laughter, "Say, who are your friends? I don't recognize that Sableye, Jynx, the long-haired Sableye or that arcane automaton. Should I be concerned?"

"They're traveling with me," said K-1, "We'll save the introductions for later. In the meantime, they have Class-2 access to this facility. I'm going to need some of the R-25s on my trip to Olympus later tonight. I have a lot of cargo to unload and some passengers who need a lift."

"Cargo…" said Central thoughtfully, "That reminds me. Mack and Aura are in the main control room and they wish to speak with you, Crystal and Gremlin. The others may join you as well."

"Okay, then. We're on our way," said K-1.

"Unidentified Pokémon and golem: please forgive me for being suspicious. It is my nature," said Central with a gentle voice, "However, any friend of K-1's is a friend of mine. I welcome you to the underground laboratory of the Guardians of Gardev. Please stay close to K-1. He will act as your guide. All I ask is that you keep what you see down here a secret, okay?"

"Not a problem… erm… voice?" said a confused Asmodeus.

"I will honor your wishes," said Cheryl cheerfully.

"As will I," said Michael resolutely.

"Ditto," was G6's blunt reply. Soon, the mixed party of Pokémon, a golem and one robot were on approach to the lab's control room. The twin metal doors opened with a soft "Hiss!" and were slowly, revealing the big chamber, lined with super computers, control consoles and various sizes of view screens. Standing in front of Central's main control panel was a winged Gardevoir, wearing traditional ballet attire. Gremlin and Crystal were quite shocked to see that the Guardian standing before them was also wearing a silver tiara, accented with diamonds. The Guardian was turned away from the control room entrance and seemed to not have noticed the arrival of K-1 and company.

"Hello, Aura!" said Gremlin happily, "I see you managed to earn your tiara! Well done!"

"Excuse me?" thundered a most-decidedly masculine voice with indignation as the Gardevoir ballet dancer turned around fast to glare at Gremlin. The Sableye laughed nervously and blushed deeply from embarrassment when he saw the gold and sapphire pendant around the male Gardevoir's neck.

"Oh, dear…" said a worried Crystal, realizing that something very awkward had just happened.

"Um…" said a deeply embarrassed Gremlin, "Sorry, Mack…" The male Guardian hunched over and let out a heavy sigh of despair.

"It's bad enough that Warren said I looked like a bride and a female Gardevoir, even with his glasses on…" grumbled Mack, "But to be mistaken for Aura? Sheesh! What next?"

"You and Aura do look… similar," said Gremlin sheepishly.

"I'm flat-chested, my body and limbs are not nearly as curvy as a female Gardevoir's, my hair is a bit more unkempt in appearance and I have a much deeper voice," said Mack with another heavy sigh, "Is it really that hard to tell me and Aura apart?" Gremlin shrugged his shoulders whilst tenderly setting his wife back down on her feet. Mack quickly noticed the two Sableyes, a Jynx and the bizarre machine standing behind Gremlin and Crystal. Mack cleared his throat and quickly regained his composure as he stepped towards his guests.

"Oh! Please forgive me;" said Mack solemnly, "My name is Dr. Mack Foxx: I'm a Guardian of Gardev and the owner of this facility. Who might you all be?"

"I'm Asmodeus, Gremlin's father," said the older Sableye with a smile, stepping towards Mack with his right hand held out as a gesture of friendship, "It is an honor to meet you, Guardian." Mack and Asmodeus shook hands.

"Gremlin's father, eh?" said Mack happily, "I was hoping I would get to meet you and more of Gremlin's relatives."

"My name is Cheryl," said the Jynx with a cheerful tone of voice, offering a curtsey towards the male Guardian, "I'm Gremlin's mother and it's an honor to see you in person."

"Like wise, Guardian Mack," said Michael, spreading out his red skirt in a curtsey as well, "I'm very happy to meet you, too!" Mack was struck with bewilderment at the sight of Michael: a Sableye with long, blonde hair and wearing a Jynx's dress. Asmodeus chuckled warmly at Mack's confusion.

"Michael is mine and Cheryl's younger son," explained Asmodeus, "He is a half-breed: having some of the traits, powers and appearance of a Jynx and a Sableye."

"I see you like ballet as well, Guardian Mack," said Michael happily, "You even earned your tiara, too! Congratulations! I hope to become a great dancer someday as well. My parents and I also wish to move to Olympus."

"Really?" said Mack, smiling in a friendly manner, "I think you and your folks are going to fit in just fine."

"Don't forget about me," said the hulking golem, "My name is G6. My duty is to protect Gremlin and Crystal."

"You're a golem, aren't you?" said Mack with amazement, "I've never seen a construct like you before. Very interesting…"

"Oh? Do we have visitors, Mack?" asked Aura from an adjoining room. Asmodeus, Cheryl and Michael were all astounded when they laid eyes upon the beautiful winged ballerina, also wearing a jeweled tiara upon her brow.

"As a matter of fact, we do princess," said Mack cheerfully, "We have Gremlin's father Asmodeus, Gremlin's mother Cheryl and last, but certainly not least, Gremlin's brother, Michael."

"You forgot about me," said G6, shrugging his shoulders.

"Oh! Sorry! And that magnificent construct is G6," explained Mack, "From what I've heard, they all wish to move to Olympus with Gremlin and Crystal."

"I can't help but notice," said Crystal happily, "But Prince Mack, when did you and Princess Aura receive your tiaras? I had no idea you were both ballet masters."

"Oh, Mack arranged for him and I to take our final exams last week," replied Aura joyfully, "He even got himself a full set of Gardevoir ballet attire. Anyway, he managed to get the Olympus Ballet Board to come all the way down here to the village. Needless to say, we each aced our solo routines and our duet."

"I didn't know Mack could dance like that," said a wide-eyed K-1. Mack chuckled warmly, was shrugging his shoulders and was blushing slightly as Aura stood next to him.

"Neither did I," said Mack. It took little time for the group of Pokémon and assorted machines to really get to know each other. They talked for hours: sharing stories as well as telling about their recent exploits and adventures. However, one truth did not come out in the long conversation: what had transpired during Gremlin and Crystal's honeymoon.

"Say," said Mack with a friendly smile, looking down upon the newlywed Sableye and Kirlia, "Did you two enjoy your first few weeks together as mates?"

"Oh, yes we did," giggled a gleeful Crystal.

"Yep! We had a nice, quiet and wonderful honeymoon," said Gremlin with a big grin on his face.

"Is that so?" asked Mack as he stepped up to Central's control console and picked up a newspaper which had been lying next to the keyboard. The male Guardian unfurled the newspaper so Gremlin and company could see the main headline. There, at the top and center of the newspaper, written in huge letters was the phrase, "Ghost Aliens Rob Alakaz Museums: Fact or Fiction?"

"A nice and quiet honeymoon, eh?" said Mack, smiling in a slightly unnerving manner, "Start talking…" The newlyweds laughed nervously while Asmodeus, Cheryl and Michael were all quite surprised by this news.

"You robbed some museums?" asked a bewildered Asmodeus.

"Let us explain, please?" asked Gremlin with a nervous smile on his face. Another hour must have elapsed before the entire story finally came out. Gremlin and Crystal told all about the discovery of Twilight, the near disaster at the Grand Museum of Alakaz, the discovery of a cipher for the written form of the Ghost Pokémon language and a considerable collection of arcane artifacts crafted by the legendary Gengar the Great.

"So that's the deal," said Asmodeus, "Gengar the Great himself entrusted you with his treasure trove of wealth, knowledge, and powerful relics in hopes that you and Crystal could revive the Order of Twining Shadows."

"I think I get it," said Mack, "The Order of Twining Shadows was a Pokémon faction that was not only Gengar the Great's royal guards, but they were also all masters of Ghost Forme."

"Exactly!" said Gremlin with a single nod of his head.

"Suffice to say, my Sableye and I are going to be very busy between teaching ballet classes and bringing back an ancient order of Ghost Pokémon," said Crystal.

"Well, at any rate, I don't see why Glacian won't let you all reside in Olympus," said Mack confidently, "I think you should meet with the king and his queen first thing tomorrow."

"Tomorrow…" said Aura with a loud yawn, "Sounds like a good idea to me, my prince."

"I'll fly Gremlin, Crystal, their parents, G6 and Gengar's treasure to Olympus myself," said K-1.

"That can wait until morning," said Mack, "In the meantime, how about we go upstairs so Aura and I can introduce all of you to Warren and Agatha? I'm sure they won't mind having some company over for a night or more if needed." Sure enough, the kind mayor of Gardev and the master chef, Agatha, were delighted to meet Gremlin's parents. Without hesitation, Warren offered his guests to stay in his mansion as long as they needed to. Soon, the lights in the grand home were either dimmed or shut off for the rest of the night as Mack, Aura and all the others fell into a deep sleep in their rooms.

**-155-**

The next day, Gremlin and Crystal's relatives were able to get an audience with King Glacian and Queen Gloria. The kind rulers of Olympus were more than willing to let Asmodeus, Cheryl and Michael reside in the hidden metropolis of white marble. In addition, once Glacian and Gloria heard Gremlin and Crystal's lengthy story of what had transpired during their two-week honeymoon, they offered to help set aside a large, unoccupied building where the newly-revived Order of Twining Shadows could call home. Of course, Asmodeus, Cheryl and Michael were also given a nice, fully-furnished house in the great city. As the weeks passed by, Asmodeus, his wife and youngest son were delighted to know their Gardevoir neighbors were both very friendly and quite welcoming. On one afternoon, Michael had just left the sewing shop which was still owned and run by Angel, the new Guardian of Gardev. The Gardevoir seamstresses were all too happy to help the long-haired Sableye get fitted for his very own ballet dress, slippers and bloomers.

"Yes!" thought Michael with sheer delight, "I'm going to get to learn how to dance soon! Best of all, my pretty ballet attire should be ready within a few days." Michael had always thought of himself as an oddball among Pokémon since he was a half-breed. Still, no one stared at him, nor did anyone say anything mean to him because of his strange appearance.

"I guess it make sense," thought Michael, "I'm wearing my normal attire, just like all the Ralts, Kirlias, Gardevoirs and the few Gallades that I've seen." The Sableye leisurely was walking down the many avenues and byways of Olympus. He enjoyed exploring the wondrous city and was quickly learning the layout of Olympus. As he walked down yet another street with his hair blowing in a gentle breeze, a large colorful object quickly caught his attention. The curious Sableye walked over to a small house, which had a sign hanging over the front porch, which read "Lucca's Art Studio: Official Royal Artist".

"What have we here?" asked Michael to himself as he peered into a large window at the front of the house. Curiosity quickly got the best of Michael as he opened the window and leaned into the small home to get a better look at what lay before him. There were huge, colorful portraits and pictures hanging all over the walls of the building. Michael was absolutely mesmerized: each and every picture had been painted by a true master. The level of detail and the quality of the coloring were utterly amazing.

"Almost got it…" said a feminine voice from somewhere else in the house, "Just a few more touches…" Michael; the long-haired Sableye threw caution to the wind and climbed through the opened window and into the small house without any hesitation. He was very curious as to who had produced all the amazing works of art which hung from every single wall of the house. Of course, curiosity can also lead to make poor decisions and lead someone into some rather nasty situations. Nonetheless, soon Michael was standing in a wide doorway, looking on with awe as a lone Ralts, wearing a black ribbon with a large bow around her neck, was standing before a 4' tall canvas on top of a double-deckered set of scaffolding. Michael watched as the Ralts made one deft stroke after another on the canvas with a small paintbrush.

"Hmmm… needs just a hint of more purple," said the Ralts, reaching down for a clean paintbrush which had been lying on the scaffolding. Michael stepped closer towards the hard-working and unaware artist, wondering what she was painting. He quickly got his answer for the painting was Gremlin and Crystal's wedding portrait. The long-haired Sableye was again amazed at the impeccable level of quality on the painting. The portrait was life-sized and very lifelike, but with vivid colors and intricate texturing that even the best photographs in the entire world could never outshine.

"You're amazing…" said Michael with astonishment.

"Oh! Thank you," said the Ralts happily and with a smile as she turned her head to face whoever had just spoken to her.

"What's your name?" asked a wide-eyed Michael.

"I'm Lucca and you are…?" said Lucca, her smile replaced with an angry scowl and her sweet voice now filled with rage, "Are trespassing in my studio! Who do you think you are, barging into my home like this, Gremlin?"

"But… but, I'm not…!" stammered Michael fearfully, "Sorry for coming in here like this, but I…!"

"Oh, shut up, you horrible, purple blob!" snarled Lucca, "What's with that getup, anyway? Do you have any idea how ridiculous you look in a Jynx's dress?" The enraged Ralts jumped from the scaffolding, landing on her feet just inches away from Michael.

"Let me explain, you see…!" said Michael.

"And what's with this stupid wig?" yelled Lucca, "What are you supposed to be anyway, a clown?" Before Michael could say another word, Lucca reached out with both hands and harshly grabbed onto several locks of his hair.

"Wait! Don't do that!" pleaded Michael.

"Don't do what? This?" snarled Lucca as she tugged at the blonde hair as hair as she could. Michael's screams echoed throughout the entire city Olympus. Gremlin was hanging his wedding dress up in his closet when he heard the horrid yelling coming from an area of the Gardevoir city he knew all too well.

"Looks like Michael just met Lucca…" said Gremlin with a heavy sigh, "In a very bad fashion, I might add." Lucca was absolutely horrified and let go of the Michael's hair in an instant.

"I'm so sorry!" said Lucca with wide eyes, "Please forgive me! Please! I thought you were my brother-in-law and you were trying to play a prank on me!"

"I think I still am your in-law…" said Michael, sighing with despair, "I forgive you. That's not the first time someone has tugged at my hair, thinking it was fake."

"Is… is there anything I can do to make this up to you?" asked Lucca with remorse, "Say, what's your name, anyway?"

"I'm Michael," said the Sableye with a friendly smile, "You must be Lucca. I should have know better than to come into your home uninvited. I'm very sorry about that…"

"I forgive you," said Lucca sheepishly, "Looks like we both managed to start off on the wrong foot, huh?"

"I'll say," said Michael, "All is forgiven. I heard you're actually a very nice person."

"Well, until you try something stupid to get the best of me," laughed Lucca, "I assume your brother has told you about some of the run-ins we've had?"

"With a very high degree of detail," chuckled Michael, "He must have looked like a fool covered head to toe in pink paint."

"You have no idea," said Lucca with sinister giggling, "Well; since you're here, want to have a look at your brother's wedding portrait?" Michael's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Yes, please! I would love to take a closer look!" said Michael. Lucca grabbed onto one of the side bars of the scaffolding: which apparently was mounted on small wheels. Once Lucca had pulled the simple metal platforms out of the way, Michael now got to get a look at his brother and sister-in-law's wedding portrait. Michael whistled with amazement.

"This is incredible," remarked Michael, "It looks so perfect, but I'm pretty sure my brother doesn't have any facial hair, small red horns sprouting from his head or a slender red tail with a triangular spike at the end of it."

"Oh, those are just stickers," giggled Lucca with a fiendish grin on her face, "I figure he'll get kick out of them."

"That's going to be a fun joke, alright," remarked Michael, his gaze still affixed to the portrait.

"You're new around here, aren't you?" asked a curious Lucca. Michael glanced over at the master artist and nodded his head.

"Lucca: I think you and me are going to get along just fine," said Michael happily, "Just wait until you meet my parents! I'm sure they will like you."

"Michael! Son! Are you okay?" called Asmodeus from the open window in Lucca's house, "Are you in here?"

"Impeccable timing," said Lucca, rushing to her front door to let in Michael's parents.

"Thank you very much," said Asmodeus with Cheryl, Gremlin and Crystal following close behind.

"Michael, dear," said Cheryl with concern while she walked up to her son, "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, mom," said Michael happily, "Me and Lucca just had a bit of a misunderstanding. All is okay now."

"Very good," said Asmodeus with a sigh of relief as he trained his glistening, gemstone eyes upon Lucca, "You must be Lucca. It's a pleasure to meet you. Gremlin has said a lot about you."

"Is that so?" asked Lucca, "What did he say?"

"That you… hey!" yelled Gremlin, his eyes falling upon his and Crystal's wedding portrait. Asmodeus, Cheryl and Crystal couldn't help but laugh once they looked upon the painting. For some reason, Lucca seemed to have painted red horns, a black goatee and a devil tail on Gremlin.

"You ruined my wedding portrait…" said Gremlin with a sigh of despair, "Well, that's what I get for getting on your bad side."

"Oh, relax," giggled Lucca, stepping up to the canvas in order to remove the red and black stickers, "Those little 'Additions' were fake, after all. As you can see, I spent a lot of time on the painting of you and Crystal in your wedding attire."

"A perfect likeness," said Crystal with glee, "Although the horns, goatee and tail show the true nature of my little monster." Gremlin cackled in a cheerful manner.

"Well, that's us alright," said Gremlin, stepping up alongside his wife as he held onto her right hand, "A beautiful ballerina, joined to a horrid fiend, like me."

"Ain't it the truth," said a grinning Lucca. Everyone in the room broke out into gales of laughter. Even Gremlin was laughing as he stood alongside his loving wife.

"Looks like we're all going to really enjoy our new home: safe here in the grand metropolis of Olympus," thought Michael, looking forward to his first dancing lessons with Gremlin and his nice new Kirlia sister-in-law, Crystal.

-The End…-

-To Be Continued in Chapter #5- Tinder's Tale…-


End file.
